First was Hannah
by HLGLPotter
Summary: Hannah, Josie, Fiona, and Eva have been best friends forever. So finding out they are all witches and will all be going to the same school of magic seems like a dream come true. Until an old enemy returns, and history starts to repeat itself.
1. The Flying Book

**Eva **

I sit, leaning against a large maple tree. I`m waiting for my friends Josie Weaver, Fiona West, and Hannah Kinsley. They said they would meet me under the maple tree across from the dock by the lake at precisely 10:00, and here it was 10:20 and there was no sign of them. I sigh and reposition myself against the tree so it isn`t cutting into my back so much.

We were meeting at the lake by my house so we could spend a fun day diving, swimming, and playing fun games in the water and on the beach. This had become kind of a tradition for us. On the first Sunday of every month we go to Fiona`s house. On the second we go to Hannah`s. On the third we go to mine. And on the Fourth, if there is a fourth, we go to Josie`s. Josie has the fourth Sunday because she doesn't really like people coming over to her house, so usually we go to the park or into town on Josie`s Sunday.

Just then I see Josie running towards the lake. She`s yelling to me but I can`t quite make out what she`s saying. I stand up and start quickly walking towards her, and then brake into a run, thinking there must be some kind of an emergency. When I get there she starts talking so fast I can`t make out what she`s saying. I catch "Hannah…..flying book…did it again…..with her mind…it was like magic!"

"Slow down, slow down" I say "I can`t make out a word your saying" She takes a few deep breaths and collects herself and then launches into her tale.

"Well, I was at Fiona`s house already so we went over to Hannah`s to pick her up and then go down to the lake and meet you. And Hannah was sitting at her desk staring at the book in front of her which was on top of the book we were supposed to be studying for homework. And Hannah said that she had been studying the book we were supposed to be studying and she just couldn`t find the right information and then the other book just flew over and landed on top of that book and it opened itself, itself! And Hannah found all the stuff she needed. And then when we came over Hannah told us what happened and Fiona thought she should try to move it with her mind, so she went and put it where it was originally and sat at her desk and tried and tried to have it move over to her desk again. And guess what? It did!"

"Wow" that was all I could say "Wow" then thinking that I would quite like to see Hannah move things with her mind I ask "Can I go to Hannah`s and see her move the book?"

"Yeah" she responds, sounding like this was what the others had told her to ask me and she should have asked me straight off "That's what Hannah and Fiona told me to tell you" she adds confirming my suspicions. As we walk back around the lake Josie gives me a very in depth story about exactly what had happened.

When we get to Hannah`s Fiona and Hannah are waiting for us bursting with excitement. Fiona looks as if she would have much rather it had happened to her but was still very excited at our friend's achievement. "Do it, do it Hannah" she says the moment we enter Hannah`s room. Hannah goes over to her desk and sits down. Josie taps my shoulder and indicates the book that Hannah was trying to move and then put her finger to her lips, telling me to be quite. Hannah screwed up her eyes and her face starts to turn red. Then like magic the book Josie had indicated to me rises up off the teetering stack of books it was on (Hannah was a big reader) and begins to slowly drift towards her. Then with a last burst of speed it lands on her desk with a plop and we break out into applause.

"Wow! How did you do it?" I asked, wondering if she was a witch, because how else could Hannah do magic? Well I guess we had no confirmation that it was magic, but what else could it be?

"Hannah, could you move other things with your brain, like, could you move that vase across the room? Or maybe you should try moving something heavier?" Fiona asked. And Hannah could move the vase. And the chair. And her bed. Well her bed and the chair didn't fly across the room, the just slid.

"Hannah do you think you could move two things at once?" asked Josie

"Well I could try" replied Hannah "I'll move those two books" she said pointing out two books on her bookshelf. She screwed up her eyes the just like the first time she did it and the top book slowly begin to float towards her then it stopped in midair and the second book floated up and begin to slowly float towards the first one, then the first one moved, then the second one, then the first one, then the second one, then the first one plopped onto her desk, she opened her eyes and smiled thinking she had succeeded but the she saw the one book in front of her and heard the clunk of the second book as it hit the floor, her having lost her concentration

She tried it again and again and again. Always with the same results then on her fifth try she made some improvement. After the first book landed on her desk she kept her concentration and the a few seconds later the second book landed on top of the first with a pleasing thump.

At noon we all ran home for lunch, or in the case of Hannah, down stairs, after agreeing to meet back at Hannah`s at half past 12. I ate quite quickly, much to the confusion of mum, who kept asking me what we had been doing and why we hadn`t been at the lake, but I just shook my head. I was generally a slow eater though, so no wonder it confused her.

We met back at Hannah`s at 12:15, seemingly we were all to exited to have a long lunch. When we got their Hannah was sitting at her desk with her mom's laptop in front of her she had a website opened and was reading an article entitled 'what to do with your just-discovered powers'.

"What are you reading?" asked Fiona

"Oh, just doing a bit of research. Though I don`t think most of these articles will be much help. The first one said I should be in a lunatic's asylum, the second one said I'm probably imagining things, and this one says I should be a super hero and save the world"

"Well, there`s nothing wrong with being a super hero, is their?" questioned Josie

"Yeah, but being a superhero isn`t really my thing" Hannah said as she closed the internet window and turned off the laptop.

"Oh" Josie said, as though she thought that she would like to be a super hero and maybe she should have been given the powers so she could save the world. She opened her mouth to say something else, but then closed it again.

"Hannah, I have an idea" I said as I thought of a new way to approach the internet search "why don`t instead of searching along the lines of 'what to do with my new powers' search 'people with magical powers'"

"OK" she said. She fired up the laptop and opened up Google. She typed 'people with magical powers' into the search box and clicked Go. What came up were a list of magicians that went around performing at schools and other events, and another article with the lunatics asylum view. Just then a message appeared on the laptop screen saying 'if you do not plug into another power source soon laptop will shut down automatically.

Hannah went to get the laptops charging cord. When she returned she plugged one end into an outlet on her wall and the other into the laptop. Then she closed the laptop and moved it to the side of her desk on top of a stack of papers. She decided to continue experimenting with her powers.

All the rest of the afternoon Hannah experimented with her new powers, trying moving heavier objects, or making things just levitate off the ground and spin, or fly around in circles. Everything she tried to move did move, with the exception of when she tried to move Josie across the room, her powers must not work on humans. We were going over to my house the next afternoon to test it on my cat to see if it didn`t work on all living things or just humans. We were going to try it on a tree in the park, but we didn`t want anyone to see, and if it did look it might look a bit suspicious.

"Hannah, do you think you're a witch?" I asked later that day when I finally got to voice my question.

"I don`t know" she said. At my question Josie turned a delicate shade of pink and quickly asked Hannah if she thought she could move something attached to something else like if she could move the laptop cord, but not the laptop.

Hannah tried. She closed her eyes and we all turned toward the laptop. The round part that plugged into the laptop had slowly begun to come out. Then the parts plugged into the wall begin to come out of the outlet. Then the cord soured over and landed in front of Hannah.

That was the last thing we got to do that day as it was time for me, Josie, and Fiona to go home. I said goodbye to them outside Hannah's house as their houses were to the left and mine was to the right.

"See you tomorrow" I called just before crossing the street

"See you! And remember were meeting at you`re house after school tomorrow" Fiona called back. As I walked down the street I thought about what had happened today. Why did Josie not want to talk about Hannah being a witch? Now that I thought about Josie was always sensitive to the topic of witches. In third grade when we were all going to be witches for Halloween, Josie insisted that we shouldn`t, and in fourth grade when we all had to write a story about magic, Josie`s was the only one that didn`t have any witches or wizards. Why did she not want to talk about witches?

**This story is next gen, but told from the point of view of my OC`s, Hannah, Josie, Eva, and Fiona. they`ll take turns narrating chapters. Chapters should go up about once a week, and I apologize in advance if I miss a week. thanks! **


	2. The Pen, and The Suprise

**Hannah **

When I woke up on Monday morning the first thing I thought was: Why is the computer cord in a pile on one side of my desk and the computer on the other? It was a strange thought, but my first thought in the morning is always strange. In our house the policy was that the computer was always plugged in at night. Well, unless someone leaves Leslie, my little sister in charge of the computer, then it`s always lying on the floor somewhere not plugged in. Then it all came flooding back to me. Me moving the book, then the cord with my mind.

I didn`t know how I moved them. The previous day I thought and thought about but I could never figure it out. I just thought about the objects moving and then they did. I`m not sure how it worked the first time and I hope it doesn`t happen like that again, I'm not sure how I would explain to Mr. Ramseur if a book or pencil suddenly came flying through the air towards me.

Eva Lewis only lives a block away from me, so we meet on the corner to walk to school together, Fiona and Josie come from the other direction so they walk together and we just see them at school. Leslie walks with us occasionally, but most days mom drove her on her way to work, she offered to drive me to, but I liked walking with Eva. Today when I got to the corner Eva was already waiting for me. This is unusual, because not only is the corner we meet on much closer to my house then hers, but Eva is definitely not a morning person, and is frequently late.

"Hello" I greeted her

"Hello!" she said back energetically, which was also strange Eva usually yawns every few feet on the way to school, and says she`s too tired to talk. Seriously. It's like, 7:30, it's not that early "Did anything else happen? Did you make anything else fly?" oh so that was why. I liked my new ability but I didn`t particularly like my friends treating me like I was some sort of strange creature with magical abilities that should demonstrate them for their entertainment all day.

"Nope, nothing new" I said trying to sound as if I enjoyed the attention my new ability brought with it, well not enjoyed, didn`t not like. I personally wished the unwanted attention wasn`t part of the package.

"Oh" said Eva, as though she wished I had kept experimenting until something new happened. "well ok" Well to tell the truth I had kept experimenting into the late hours of the night until my mom came in before she went to bed and told my "Hannah, it is 11:00, you have school tomorrow. Go. To. Bed." So then I did go to bed. But I couldn`t sleep. My thought just kept whirling and whirling what does this mean? Am I a freak? Or am I a witch? How do I do it?

And that last question haunted me. How did I do it? I just thought. But how did it work? Was I a freak like the websites said? Or did I just have unusual powers? Was I born with them? Or did they just develop?

Eva seemed to realize that I was deep in thought and left me to my thinking the whole way to school. When we got to school we didn`t see Fiona or Josie so we went over to our usual meeting spot; between Me and Josie`s Locker and Eva and Fiona`s. at the end of each year when we were given the slips of paper that said something along the lines of list three people that you would like to share a locker with next year we always wrote down each other, in a completely random order. So, we, by some magical coincidence, had always got one of our top three choices as our locker partner. I guess it was fairly easy as they could just do two and two.

At that point Fiona and Josie showed up. We didn`t have time for any conversation except "Hello", "Goodbye", and "Looks like it's time for class". In first and fourth grade we were all in the same class, this year and second grade we were in two`s, and in third grade (my least favorite arrangement) I was in one class and the other three were in the other class. This year me and Josie were in Mr. Ramseur`s class, and Fiona and Eva were in Mrs. Prune`s.

"When I ask to go to the bathroom, say you have to go to, or you have to get a drink of water or something. Just make sure you come" Josie whispered in my ear as we walked down the hall. Why did Josie want to talk to me? She had been acting weird since yesterday, was she going to tell me why? But why not tell all of us before going to class? I guess there wasn`t time but couldn`t she just tell all of us after school today? Would she tell the other two later? Or would she just tell me?

I was pulled out of my thought by Mr. Ramseur calling attendance. He was one of the few teachers that still did what most people would consider `old fashioned`. But the people who were and had been in Mr. Ramseur's class liked him, well, maybe not liked him, but definitely respected him. He had that air of the kind of teacher that would do good things if you did your homework were quite during class and did what you were supposed to do. Well, regardless he was better than Mrs. Prune. She was the other fifth grade teacher, and the strictest, meanest teacher in the school. Fiona and Eva had Mrs. Prune.

All the other teachers in the school were good, so up until fifth grade we honestly didn`t care what teacher we got. But coming into this year we all wished as hard as we could that we would all be Mr. Ramseur`s class. But then we got our class lists, and me a Josie were in Mr. Ramseur's class, and Eva and Fiona got stuck with Mrs. Prune. Well it was nearly June, soon it would be summer and they would never have to see evil Mrs. Prune again. Well, except for when they walked past her in the hall.

The morning was uneventful until about ten. When just as she said she would Josie requested to use the bathroom. I glanced at the clock to see what time it was as I wasn`t going to ask for about three or four minutes so as not to arouse suspicion. When three minutes had passed I put my hand in the air.

"Yes, Hannah" he said from across the room where he was explaining a math problem to a girl named Lily.

"…Could I erm…get a drink of water?" I asked trying to sound as though I was truly thirsty. I wasn`t very good at lying.

"You can wait until Josie comes back, then, yes, you may go" He said. I had completely forgotten his `one person out of the classroom at a time` rule and it appeared Josie had too. I sat in my desk stiffly hoping Josie realized that something had happened to stop me from coming and came back to the classroom before she had been gone to long for it to be realistic. I didn`t realize I had been holding my breath until it all came out in a big whoosh when Josie came back into the classroom. She gave me a meaningful look and raised her eyebrows as if to say where were you?! I gestured at Mr. Ramseur, and she looked at him, and then nodded in understanding.

"Ok Hannah, you can go get a drink now" said Mr. Ramseur. So I got up and walked out of the classroom. I paused outside the class room door, then thinking I might as well get I drink I headed off towards the water fountain. Just I was leaning forward to drink I heard fast footsteps approaching me. I looked up and saw Josie.

"How did you get out?" I asked in an awed voice. Mr. Ramseur is nicer then Mrs. Prune but he is strict. Really strict.

"Not now" she says quickly "there's not time to talk now, I have to deliver this" she holds up a green file folder "but come to my house after we go to Eva`s tonight" and with that she runs off down the hall not giving me any time to ask questions or even say if I will come. Even if she had given me time to talk don`t think I would have been able to, I mean, I was still standing shocked in front of the water fountain.

The thing is Josie never lets us come to her house. Whenever it's her Sunday she just says "oh, why don`t we go to the park" or "let's go to the beach" or "let's walk into town" but none of us have ever been inside her house. When we were little and we all had birthday parties and play dates at our houses, with Josie it would always be at the park, or beach, or someplace in town. So, in the whole 6 years I'd been friends with her I had never been inside her house. Now that I say it bluntly like that it sounds a lot weirder then it ever seemed, to us it was just normal Josie. And then she just out of the blue asks me over to her house, what was that about?

At lunch we sat at our usual table in the far corner of the lunch room. As usual, Josie and I were there first. Mrs. Prune would never let her class out early. Just at that moment a stream of fourth graders poured into the lunch room, they combined all the classes for PE and the fourth graders had PE right before lunch on Monday. Following them came Mrs. Prune`s class, all wearing the grumpy expressions of people had been given to much homework for them to do anything fun this evening, and having to wait behind the sweaty, loud, obnoxious 4th graders in the lunch line. Eva came right over to our table; she always brought her lunch, while Fiona goes through the lunch line.

"There is no way I am going to be able to do anything but homework tonight" Eva complained

"Come on, you can`t have that much" Josie reassured her

"oh yes I can" said Eva darkly "We have this book we have to read by the week after next, a Spanish worksheet, two pages of math problems in the textbook, and a worksheet covering the first half of the book, and on Thursday we get one covering the second half" Eva wailed.

"How long is the book" I asked

"3 hundred pages"

"Oh" I said "well is it a quick read?"

"No, it's some stupid book about the Mayflower" she said "why do we have to study migration in fifth grade? We should do in in third grade, and then we could just learn the easy stuff, like how to spell migration?" I feel someone pull on by ponytail, and turn around to see Leslie. As a third grader, we have the same lunch area, which can sometimes be difficult. Just being in the same school can sometimes be difficult

"What were you saying about third graders?" She asks Eva Sweetly. All my friends adore Leslie. They think she`s just the cutest thing in the world. Well, she`s not.

"Well we were saying-" Starts Eva, when I cut her off.

"Nothing" I say, not meanly, but not necessarily nicely "Go back to the other little people" I lately shove her away. Little people are what the third graders are called, in reference to the fact that they are the youngest ones in the lunch room, the first and second grade eat in their classrooms.

"Why did you do that?" asks Eva "She`s so cute" I give her a dark look. Leslie is not so cute at home, and so I've told her.

"Let's get back to our original topic of conversation" I say "What do you have to say on the matter, Josie?"

"I think even if we did it in third grade we would still have to learn a bit more then how to spell migration" Josie points out.

At this point Fiona appeared carrying and brown plastic lunch tray. We spent the rest of lunch discussing the S.M.B (Stupid Mayflower book, Eva had come up with the name as she said even the name was to long). As Fiona said the book was so boring that she thought that even if she did read it she wouldn`t remember a word of it after because it was so dull.

"So, see you guys at Eva`s later" Fiona called as we parted ways in the hallway. Fiona hated the S.M.B. a little less Eva. Fiona Enjoys historical books, so it was more her interest. Eva likes Fantasy and adventure story, and Josie likes Mysteries, and I like pretty much any book I could get my hands on, I`m a big reader.

"I might not even notice you come over I'm doing so much reading…" Eva mutters as we all head back to our classrooms.

Nothing exiting happened that afternoon until about 2:50 right before school let out. We were writing summaries of a short story Mr. Ramseur had just read us. If we didn`t finish them in class they would become homework, and I really didn't want homework, so I was trying as hard as I could to finish mine before school was over. My pen had just run out of ink and I was hitting it on the table trying to get a little more ink of it. Then I saw something out of the corner of my eye that made me gasp in horror. There was a pen flying over to my desk. And it wasn`t just any pen. It was Mr. Ramseur's favorite pen.

He never let anyone borrow that pen. He had some other pens that he used and would let other people borrow, but he never let people borrow his favorite pen. I looked around fearfully but by some amazing miracle no one had saw. Wait. There was someone watching me in a very strange way out of the corner of her eye. But it was just Josie.

I couldn`t really go up to Mr. Ramseur`s desk holding his favorite pen without attracting attention, so I just slipped the pen into my backpack and promised myself that I would return it later. I don`t know how but I would.

I didn`t get a chance to Finnish my summery as I didn`t want people, well Mr. Ramseur, to see me writing with his favorite pen, and people would see me, because how many emerald green pens with eagles heads on the top are there? Just as I was putting my materials in my backpack I heard Josie whisper in my ear.

"Remember, my house after Eva`s" she said. Then she disappeared out the door.

**Chapter 2! Please excuse spelling and grammar mistakes, I am constantly editing, though pointing them out will speed up the process. thanks!**


	3. Your a Witch

**Josie**

How are you supposed to tell someone that their a witch? I had been contemplating that all day and I still had no clue how to do it. How am I supposed to tell Hannah she`s a witch? Because I knew exactly why Hannah moved that book and what was happening. I knew that it would happen to all four of us. I knew because of one late December night when I was eight. I had come downstairs to get a drink of water when I heard my parents talking in the living room.

"Should we tell her Tom?"

"No, she`ll find out on her own in good time"

"But shouldn`t she know?"

"She doesn`t need to"

"But what about when they all start showing signs?"

"She might figure it out on her own, but we don`t need to tell her"

"What about what Minerva said?"

"She asked us to tell the other ones their witches, not to tell Josie they are"

"Tom, their her best friends"

"She`ll find out when they all go to Hogwarts"

So from that moment on, I knew that Hannah, Eva, and Fiona were all witches. I still wasn`t 100% sure, so I decided I wouldn`t tell them until they started showing signs. Well now Hannah was showing but I still wasn`t sure if I wanted to tell her. Because not only would I be breaking about 15 million of dads rules, plus giving away secrets of the wizarding world, but if I was wrong, I would be revealing the wizarding world to people who couldn`t be part of it.

Well I had invited her over to my house, and told her I had something to tell her so I couldn`t exactly back out now. Speaking of inviting her over, how on earth was I supposed to sneak her into my house? I knew my dad was going to be at the ministry because there was a big hearing. There were some people who had been on Voldemort`s side during the war, then after claimed they had been inperiused or some rubbish like that and had now been caught by the Auror department torturing muggles. No one believed for a second that they had ever been innocent except for our idiot of a minister, Cornelius Fudge. Apparently Fudge was the minister for about seven years before the war, backed down during the war, and came back after Kingsley Shacklebolt was killed during a battle with some death eaters that had not been captured during the war. Dad said it was because when Kingsley Shacklebolt was killed it scared a lot of people, so they wanted an idiot like Fudge to stand around saying everything's fine and dandy.

You should hear Dad rant about Fudge. How that idiot ever became Minister in the first place, much less again has never been clear to me. He was the one who denied for the whole war that Lord Voldemort was back, until we won, and Hogwarts was in shambles. Then he decided to lead the cleanup effort. Thanks a lot, minister. I honestly don`t know how he won. Basically every influential wizard or witch there is opposed him. My person all theory is that he somehow rigged the election, just so he could win and become minister, because in my mind there is no way he could have won honestly.

I glance over at the clock and realize with a start that it`s five to four. I grab my sweater off the back of the coach, tie it around my waist, and head over to Eva`s. I have to walk through town to get to Eva`s house. If you looked at it on a map and drew a line from the neighborhood Eva and Hannah live in to the neighborhood Fiona and I live in it would cross right through the exact center of town. I live more on the outskirts of town so, as I already have to walk straight past her house, I meet Fiona right in front of the apartment building she and her grandmother live in.

"So, how's the S.M.B. going?" I ask Fiona conversationally

"Well, I read for nearly an hour and didn`t even Finnish the prologue it was so long" Fiona replies. I hadn`t finished my homework either, which wasn't that much, only a summary of a story that we started in class and a math worksheet. Though, I didn`t finish because I was stressed about Hannah coming over later, not because it was long or hard.

"It must be really long" I say

"Boring more like" She said wryly.

"What if you got it on tape or something, then you could just listen to it" I suggest, thinking that that was what I would do.

"No, Mrs. Prune specifically said that we had to read it ourselves. She thought of everything, I can`t even ask someone to read it to me" I say and then grumble "not like anyone would want to" now were going through town, so we fall silent and just look through the shop windows. Everyone who comes here says Chrysler could be on a Christmas card. It's an old town and all the buildings are made of stone, but are decorated with colorful curtains and shutters. The library is the oldest building in town. It's a huge hulking building but also welcoming, because there are thick red curtains and through one curtain you can see a crackling fire surrounded by case after case of books and squashy armchairs. It was originally a very large house so it has a fire place and other house like furnishings. Hannah basically lives in the library all summer. I honestly think she might sleep there sometimes. So, we are all very familiar with its architecture.

We pass through town and enter the residential district. Fiona and I live in the area of town where it's mostly apartments and condos and really cheap houses. Fiona lives in an apartment with her grandmother and I, well I live in that area of town just because dad doesn`t want to live in the main residential district, he thinks it would "display our wizardingness to much". My dad gets a little bit stressed about stuff like that. When we get to Eva's we walk up to the front porch and I ring the doorbell. Eva's mom comes to the door.

"Hey girls, Eva and Hannah are upstairs" says Mrs. Lewis. Eva's mom is like a perfect stereotype mom. She has long wavy brown hair that is always pulled back into a braid and blue, bright eyes. Eva looks like a younger, smaller copy of her mother but her wavy hair is slightly lighter brown. Fiona has long jet black hair that isn`t exactly wavy but is always slightly messy, and piercing green eyes. Hannah has perfect bouncy red curls and almond shaped hazel eyes. I have long straight boring brown hair and mud colored eyes. My hair is only a bit darker then Eva's moms but it's somehow way more boring. And I'm tall. I`m the tallest person in the grade, and no matter how much short people say it being tall is NOT a good thing. Hannah is kind of short and Fiona and Eva are somewhere in the middle. I envy them.

While in Hannah`s room every available surface is covered in books, Eva's room is like there perfect balance. She has a big bookshelf and her dresser along the left wall, then her bed and her desk along the back wall, then on the right wall she has another shelf and a big cushion/chair thing for reading on, and the closet is right next to the door.

"So, down to business" Eva says once we are all there. She is sitting in her desk chair, Hannah and I are on the bed, and Fiona is on the reading cushion "So we are going to have Hannah try to move Elle, Right?" Elle is her cat. Eleanor is her real name but everyone call`s her Elle.

"Yes" we all chorus

"Ok, then I`ll go get her" says Eva and she gets up and goes to find Elle. We all wait in awkward silence until Eva comes back with a wailing Elle on her shoulder. Whenever you carry Elle anywhere she thinks she`s going to get a pill because she has diabetes so she has to have a pill every night. So, she`s a little stressed. Eva set her on the bed and she jumped right into Fiona`s lap and Fiona started petting her and once she realized we weren't going to give her a pill she was more calm. Elle loves Fiona. Fiona has always really, really, wanted a cat, and has always been obsessed with cats, but unfortunately the apartment building she lives in doesn`t allow pets, and her grandmother refuses point blank to move.

"Ok, are you ready Hannah?" Eva asks

"Yep" she says, though by the way she says it she doesn`t sound quite ready. She`s probably afraid she`ll hurt Elle. Hannah is a worrier like that.

"Ok, fire away" Says Eva. Hannah screws up her face and closes her eyes. Then just as she `s curling up to go to sleep in Fiona`s lap Elle rises into the air and gives out the loudest howl I have ever heard, I swear that Fiona`s grandmother could probably hear it even though she`s nearly deaf and lives way on the other side of town. Eva's mom comes running up the stairs, small waves of hair coming out of her braid.

"What on Earth are you doing to that cat, I swear they could her in London!?"

"Nothing" we all reply a little too quickly. Then doing some quick thinking I say "we were just giving her pill"

"She always takes her pill in the evening" she says suspiciously

"Well we thought we would give it to her early" Fiona says quickly "You know, just to get it over with"

"Hmmmm" says Eva's mom, still suspicious

"You know what Hannah and I have to go" I say quickly, thinking it a good time to end this visit.

"We Do…?" Hannah says uncertainty "Oh, yes we do" she adds quickly. We stand up to go.

"So, what are you going to tell me" she asks once we leave

"Just wait till we get to my house" I say. I invited her to my house to tell her because I needed some way to prove to her that she actually is a witch because she will need more than my word to actually believe me. I now that from personal experience. When I was like, 4, I met this girl named Jade. This was before I even knew Hannah, Eva, and Fiona. We were best friends. One day I told her I was a witch. She ran away screaming, and I never saw or heard from her again, except when her mom called dad, and yelled at him because I had scared her daughter telling made up, insane stories. We walk in silence until were a block or two away from my house.

"When we get to my house, just follow be because we're going to have to sneak in" I say.

"Why?"

"I`ll explain once we`re inside" Ok. Time for operation get into the house without being seen. First I make a wide arc around house and yard and then sneak up to the side door. If I went into the front door which opens into the living room Catherine and Clementine, my younger twin sisters, would be in there doing homework and they would see me. Or if I went in the back door which opens into the kitchen, mum would be in there making dinner. But the side door is generally safe; it just opens up onto the stairs and mud room.

So we go in the side door. I can hear the twins in the living room and mum in the kitchen so the only person left to deal with is my older brother Charlie. Though Charlie probably wouldn`t care. He`s only two years older than me and were really good friends. He was the only one I told about the conversation I heard that told me that my three best friends were also witches.

We slowly and cautiously make our way up the stairs. I motion to the seventh step up and make big motion of stepping over it from the sixth up to the eighth. The seventh step creaks. We make our way up the stairs and the quickly step into my bedroom.

"Ok, now we can talk" I say in my normal voice

"But, aren't you worried your family will hear us?" she says with a worried look at the floor

"No, even if I yelled they wouldn`t be able to hear us. Because there`s a spell on the door. A magic spell. Because I'm a witch. And…and…and you are too." Well that was easier then I though, though it wasn`t the way I imagined breaking the news to her.

"What? I`m….I'm…I'm…a….a….a...Witch" she says, stunned "How, no I couldn`t be a witch. Wait did you say you're a witch. You couldn`t be a witch. You would have told us …wouldn`t you?"

"Well…..erm….um…..erm…no….well no yes, I'm a witch, and no I didn`t tell you" I stutter, then at the look on her face I add "But not because I didn`t want to, my dad made me!"

"I don`t believe you" she says stoutly

"I`ll prove it to you" I say "let me just go get my brother, he has a wand so he can show you actual magic" I say exiting the room.

**Chapter 3! you get your first introduction the wizarding world, and how its changed after the war. if you see anything that's not accurate, please tell me. **


	4. The Witch

**Hannah **

I Sit on Josie's bed contemplating what she just told me. How could I be a witch? Well there had to be some explanation for what she just told me, but could I really be a witch? If I wasn`t a witch then how did I move the book? Was it magic? Did I even do it? Could it have been someone, or something else doing it? I hear Josie talking to her brother outside the partially closed door.

"Charlie, Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaase"

"No"

"But I told her you would, and it's the only way she`ll believe me"

"Jos, its breaking the law"

"But they`ll never know" She whines "Or I'll do, and you know how bad I am, I would probably blow up the whole house"

"Or not do anything at all" he mutters

"Grrr" says Josie

"Well, you haven't even done any yet, so you probably couldn`t do anything, its straight fact" he says reasonably

"Well, what if I tried and blew up the whole house" she says as if it a perfectly reasonable thing.

"Fine, But only if you play Quidditch with me and Cat and Clem tomorrow" He says resignedly and pushes open the door

"Fine"

"Oh" he says when her release's I'm in the room "I`m sorry you had to hear that" I think I said something the lines of "Oh, its ok" but I didn`t really register anything, I was still in shock. And, what is Quidditch? And who are Cat and Clem? Cats? Or people?

"Err… Um Hannah, this is my brother, Charlie" Josie says

"Hi" he says, then turning to Josie "So, I understand you want me to show Hannah some magic?"

"Yeah" she says "Just something simple though, no showing off"

"Ok" he says. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wooden stick. He makes a twisting motion with it, and mutters something under his breath, and flowers come bursting out the end.

"Wow" I say "Erm, if you don`t mind me asking, what-how did you do that with that stick thing?" I immediately know I have said something wrong.

"It's not a stick" Charlie said, sounding colder than he had before "It's a wand"

"Oh, I'm so sorry" I said trying to sound as sincere as I possibly can

"It's ok" he says, the warmth in his voice back, though still somewhat reserved. I hope he understands that this is my first introduction to the magical world.

"ok, this is a pretty basic spell" she says raising his wand, and gave it a little flick "Lumos" he said and the end of his wand ignites, but not in flame, there`s just a tiny little light on the end.

"Wow, that's so cool!" I say, completely honestly

"Thanks!" he says, the warmness back in his voice

"You can leave know" says Josie to her brother.

"Wow" he says sarcastically "thanks for being so nice, Jos"

"Please" she says, "we need to talk"

"Fine" he says, finally understanding Josie`s plea.

"I said please" she mutters as he walks out of the room. I let out a little laugh, though I think it sounds more like a cough, or a snort.

"I heard that" he yells in a sing song voice as he lets the door bang shut.

"So," she says turning to me "any questions?"

"A few" I say, and we both laugh, mine sounding a bit more normal

"Fire away," she says leaning back on her bed, a patting the foot, indicating that I should sit there. I sit, and so we`re sitting facing each other on her bed. I realize this is my first time in Josie`s room. I look around. On her desk is an ink bottle and feather quill among the standard assortment of pencils and pens. In her wardrobe, to which one door are hanging open there are two sets of robes, one black, and the other dark bluish purple.

"So do witches were robes, and write with feather quills?" I ask. It's probably a stupid question, and indeed, she bursts out laughing when I say it.

"Sorry," she says, "it's just that's kind of a funny first question about the wizarding world, but yes, it is true"

"Its fine, its fine" I say, waving away her apology "most of my questions will be stupid anyway"

"That's fine" she says reassuringly "it's your first introduction to a whole new world, you're allowed to ask stupid questions" I presuming this is true, I don`t worry about asking stupid questions anymore. I question her, and she talks to me for nearly an hour.

"Who are Cat and Clem?"

"Well, they don`t really relate to the wizarding world, but they`re my twin 8-year-old sisters, they`re real names are Catherine and Clementine, though we call them Cat and Clem."

"Why did I never meet them?" I ask, a little bit hurt, I mean I should have met my best friend's sisters.

"Neither of them can control their magic" she says simply

"They have magic, but why can`t they control it, and when did they get it?" I ask, peppering her with questions about the two little girls I should have grown up bossing around and telling to get out of me and Josie`s business, but instead never got to meet. That sounded like I'm exaggerating, but I was just told I was a witch, so I think I'm allowed to exaggerate.

"Well, generally you get your magic between 6 and 8, though you sometimes don`t show signs of it until you're 9 or 10, that's what happened to me and you, we`ve both had magic for a while, but you just showed it, and I haven`t showed mine yet, but I know I have magic, because I had a test done at the wizarding hospital, St. Mungo`s." she rambles "but what happened with Cat and Clem, we think it's got something to do with the fact that they`re twins, they started showing signs of magic really, really early, when they were like four, but they never learned how to control they`re magic, so they hardly ever go out in public, mum homeschools them." She concludes

"Oh" I say, shocked at how amazing magic can be, but how it ruined the lives of these two young girls.

"But it will all be better when they get, and we get, to Hogwarts" she says, suddenly sounding extremely excited.

"Hogwarts?" I say confused. Then it rings a bell. I`ve heard of it once before, from her mouth, covered by a cough, in third grade, when we were talking about school after elementary school, and Josie didn`t say where she was going, but instead coughed out Hogwarts.

"it's a school of magic" she says, a glow in her eyes that I have never seen before "you get to learn spells and magic" she says, getting up and twirling around her room, and then picking up a twig off her desk, and waving it around as if it was a magic wand.

"And, and, will I get to go there?" I ask uncertainly, it sounds awesome, but there are still doubts in my mind about just how real Hogwarts is, and magic, and the magical world that Josie seems so acquainted with. I mean, how could she get so involved with something, but not tell us, her best friends? And if she did, how could she have kept it from us?

"oh of course!" she says not sensing the doubt in her voice "it will be amazing, I was always so sad about leaving you guys to go to Hogwarts, but know we can all go together!" she says happily, not seeming to notice the fatal flaw in her plan. But I do.

"Josie, Eva and Fiona aren`t witches, it won`t be all of us, just you and me" I say, realizing that I'm going to lose 2/3 of my best friends.

"oh…..erm….well…yes…but still!" she stammers, not sounding nearly as sad as she should be, I wonder why she stuttered so much, I mean it's a fairly solid fact isn`t it, or could she have more secrets? No. I have to trust her. She`s one of my best friends. I have to not doubt her. But somewhere deep, deep in my gut, I have I little ball of doubt that she`s hiding something else, I mean she lied about being a witch, how much harder would it have been for her to lie about something else, but I don`t have any idea what it is.

"Wait. If Charlie`s older then you, and he`s a wizard, why`s he not at Hogwarts?"

"Spring Break"

"Ok"

"Yeah"

"So," I say, putting Fiona, Eva, and the chance that this is both of our paths to an insane asylum out of my mind "what's Hogwarts like?"

"Well," she says going over to the desk against one wall and rifling through one of the drawers, until she comes out looking triumphant and holding up a fairly beat up looking book "for my dearest book addict, here`s a book on it" she says, handing me a book with a picture of a castle on the front and the title Hogwarts, a History by Bathilda Bagshot "it's a book on the school, and its history, though there is a new book out on Hogwarts, by Hermione Weasley, that she says is more thorough, and doesn`t gloss over the nastier aspects of the school, though mum won`t let me go into Diagon Alley to get it yet, she says I have to wait until we go and get school supplies"

"What's Diagon Alley?" I ask, slipping the book into my bag for later reading.

"Well, it like a wizard shopping place, it's a long street, lined with shops, all wizard shops of course, hidden in London" she says, talking about it as if she is explaining what 1+2 is to a five year old, I am obviously learning very basic wizarding information, the kind her family has known there whole life.

"Am I supposed to know who Bathilda Bagshot and Hermione Weasley are?" I ask, I assume it`s like in the regular world, some authors aren`t important at all, and some you need to know to understand a lot of things that happen,

"Well Bathilda Bagshot is a magical historian, not very important, but you should know who Hermione Weasley is." she says "I take it you haven`t heard of Harry Potter?" she asks

"No," I say "should I have?"

"No, no, no your muggle born, its fine"

"I'm what?" I ask

"Muggle born-oh, you wouldn't know what that is"

"No"

"It means you have muggle-non wizard parents-and a muggle is a non-magical person"

"You were going to tell me about Harry Potter" I prod

"Yes, well it's a bit of a long story…..

And a long story it is. She tells me the story of an Evil wizard named Voldemort, who felt that the wizarding world should be a completely pure blood society (muggle born people shouldn`t be allowed in) though he tried to bring this about by violence. And then he basically took over the whole wizarding world. And then there was a prophecy made about a young boy who Voldemort would mark as his equal, and then one of them would destroy the other, and Voldemort marked Harry Potter as his equal. But then, somehow when he tried to kill Harry Potter, the spell rebounded on him, so he nearly killed himself. But then he came back to life when Harry Potter was 14. And then Harry Potter, and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger (she later married Ron Weasley and became a Weasley) spent their lives hunting down Voldemort, and Harry Eventually destroyed him. That was a really bad summery, but you get the point. That final battle was 19 years ago.

…and know Hermione Weasley is simultaneously running the S.P.E.W. department of the ministry of magic department, and being an author"

"Wow" I say

"Yeah, wow really is the only word for it"

"So, what`s the spew department?"

"First of all," She says "it's S.P.E.W. and it started as a House Elf rights department, Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare, but it's grown into all sorts of creature rights. You know werewolves, giants, all those badly represented creatures" I have no ideas what any of those creatures are, except from fairy tales, and she`s speaking about them as lightly as if they were something you could see passing on the street"

"Cool"

"Yeah"

"I have to go" I say, looking down at my watch, and pulling us both back to the real world.

"Oh, ok, see you tomorrow" she says

"But, thank you"

"For what?"

"For telling me about all of this" I say, genuinely

"Oh, ok, you're welcome" she says smiling. She seems surprised that I was interested in this stuff. But I mean, If I'm going to be part of this world (or whatever you would call it, universe? Culture? Peoples?) I should know as much as I can.

"Wait, Josie?" I ask as I turn around to go out the door.

"What?" She asks

"What should I tell my parents?" I ask. This has been going through my mind all evening. Because I can`t just prance off to Hogwarts without telling them I'm a witch.

"Well, you could tell them now, but they might not exactly believe you….or you could pretend that you don`t know and wait for the representative from Hogwarts to come and tell your parents all about it and you being a witch"

"I think I`ll do the latter" I say "Would you mind not mentioning this?"

"Of course" she says, smiling.

"And, Josie?" I ask "What are we going to tell Fiona and Eva?"

"I…well …I don`t know" she says slowly. There it is again. The stuttering came back. She definitely has something to hide. She stutters when she has something to hide. She leads my back down the back stair case, and I say good bye, then think of something.

"Josie?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Leslie a witch, or will she be?" It would make sense that if I was a witch, Leslie would be, even if our parents weren`t.

"I don`t know" She says "Not necessarily, but possibly"

"Ok"

"Bye"

"Bye" As I walk home I ponder how a whole society could be hidden within ours. The answer I get is magic.

**I`m assuming you`ve all read the Harry Potter books, or know the story, so I don't have to give an amazing explanation. **


	5. Charming Smiles

**Fiona**

"So, where did you and Hannah go last night?" I ask Josie when we meet to walk to school

"Oh. Erm…." she stammers "just, you know…to….to the library!"

"To the library?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. Josie isn`t really I library goer type of person. Though Hannah totally is. Though why would Hannah have dragged Josie to the library, when her house is on this side of town, and she already has a mini library going in her room?

"Yeah, I erm… needed to ask Hannah a question about this book I'm reading"

"Why couldn`t you just do it at Eva`s house?" I ask. She`s stuttering. That means she`s lying. Josie always stutters when she lies.

"Well, Hannah needed a copy to, and she doesn`t have one, so we went to the library so she could get one"

"Hannah doesn`t own a book!?" I ask, mock incredulously.

"Err… apparently not" she said. That's another sign that she`s not being entirely truthful, instead of laughing at my joke she`s trying to make up an excuses. Suspicious.

"Well, what did you need help with, that the other person needed a book too?" I ask

"Umm….well, nothing…I mean, something!" she stammers "Well, I needed to check two facts, yes that was it! I needed to check something from chapter 4 with something from chapter 9"

"What was the book?" I ask. I don`t know why I`m, questioning her so much, I just really want to know what she did with Hannah last might, and why they left early, and together, when they live on opposite sides of town. Mysterious.

"Oh…um…..I don`t remember"

"Then how did you find it last night?"

"I remembered last night?" she says, raising up the end of her statement like a question.

"So, you remembered it last night, but you can`t remember today?"

"Something like that" she says…

"Hmmm" I say appraisingly "well, I'll just ask Hannah then, she`ll remember" I see a look of fear flash across Josie`s face, but it is quickly replaced with a fake smile.

"All right then" Just then we walk through the doors, and we see Eva and Hannah over at our meeting spot waving to us. It's nearly time for school to start, so we don't linger, and we head off pretty quickly to our assorted classes. As they walk away I see Josie whisper some think in Hannah`s ear. Hannah nods, and Josie visibly relaxes. Hmmm. Suspicious.

The morning goes by in a blur. Mrs. Prune asks if anyone has already completed the reading. Charlotte has. She yells at Jimmy because he didn't finish the math homework. She gives us more homework. It's the same pretty much every day, so it all sort of blurs together. I just sit in the back next to Eva, trying not to get noticed, and doing everything I am asked without drawing attention to myself.

I watch the clock as it slowly ticks towards 12:00, lunch time. 11:59, 12:00, on until 12:05, when Mrs. Prune finally says class dismissed. She does this every day, because she says the clock is five minutes fast, which, hate to break it to her, it isn`t. and if she`s going to say the clock is five minutes fast she should at least start class 5 minutes late. But, of course, she doesn`t.

I stand patiently behind a class of third graders in the lunch line, still giddy about finally being finally old enough to go through the lunch line, and be among the big kids, even though it's been months since the start of school. I finally get to the front of the line, and pick up my only-barely-edible looking lunch. I weave my way through the crowded cafeteria and plop down next to Hannah at our table. They are discussing Hannah`s book moving abilities, in hushed voices, and the SMB, in loud voices.

"I bet the SMB is so heavy and dull that even Hannah couldn`t move it" says Eva

"She moved a cat I think after that she could move any book" argues Josie

"But not the SMB, it's in a whole different class of books then regular books" Eva says

"Well, then why doesn`t she try it?" says Josie "I bet you a pack of gum she could do it!"

"Guys, you can't bet on me!" Hannah interjects. I understand, if it had been me, I wouldn`t want people betting on me either.

"Fine" says Josie "I`ll take out the gum, but I still bet you could do it" says Josie. Hannah gives her a look that makes her look like she`s Josie`s mother.

"Fine, I think you could do it"

"Fine, I`ll do it later then" Hannah says sighing

"No" says Josie "Do it now!"

"Pleeeease" Eva adds, whining

"Fiona?" Hannah asks, turning to me "What do you think we should do?"

"Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!" Josie and Eva are chanting

"I think," I say, choosing my words carefully "That it wouldn`t be a good idea –"

"Aww! Fiona!" says Josie, cutting me off

"I was going to say" I say, talking over Josie "That we should do it at home, after school, because, if someone saw us now, it would raise awkward questions"

"I agree with Fiona" Hannah says "And, it is me were talking about so I should get to choose" Just then the fire alarm goes off.

"Urge. A fire drill" says Eva "I was going to finish my science homework"

"Shouldn`t you be done with your science homework?" Hannah asks

"That's beside the point guys, we need to go" Josie says, standing up. I look around and realize were the last ones still sitting down. We all stand up and hurry outside. We go through the regular fire drill procedure. Lining up, being counted, chatting with the people next to us in line, and being told to be quiet. Eventually they let us back in. lunch is over, so we all hurry to the lunch room to get our bags, and then hurry off to class, where Mrs. Prune is awaiting us.

"Your late" she says as soon as were seated. Sammy raises her hand, offering information.

"I don't want to hear excuses, you`ll all be punished for this" She says. Eva, who just can`t keep her mouth shut stands up.

"Please, Mrs. Prune, there was a fire drill" She says, and smiles. I don't know why she`s smiling, but I do know that it's going to make Mrs. Prune really mad.

"There was? Well then, I'm going to have a word with the principal about the timing of our fire drills, please get out your books and continue reading" The whole class stares at Eva incredulously.

"She didn't yell at you" says Charlotte in awe. Even goody two shoes like Charlotte know how mad Mrs. Prune can get.

"What did I do?" Asks Eva

"You just told her the truth" said Jimmy grumpily, he hadn`t been able to worm his way out of trouble "Anyone could have done that"

"No they couldn`t" I start to say, but Eva just smiles at him.

"Wow that was amazing!" he says, Eva still smiling at him. At don`t know what she`s doing, but its making people act very unusually.

"Eva, what are you doing?" I whisper in her ear

"I don`t know!" she says, sounding scared

"We need to get you out of here before you do something serious!" I whisper, and then announce "Me and Eva are going to the bathroom, please tell that to Mrs. Prune when she returns" I know it won`t buy us much time, but it's the first thing I thought of. I push her out of the classroom, and drag her down the hall to the girl's bathroom. After checking to make sure that none of the stalls are occupied I lock the door.

"So, what happened?" I ask, turning towards Eva, who looks scared and slightly sick.

"I don`t really know" she says slowly "I just smiled at them, and then they were calm, and not mad at me anymore"

"So you were, like, charming people with your smiles?"

"I guess"

"It's almost like magic..." I say trailing off, and then it hits me "Magic! You stay here, I'll be right back!" I unlock the door and run down the hall, pausing to catch my breath only when I'm outside Mr. Ramseur`s classroom. I knock on the door, softly at first, and then harder. He opens the door, and looks down at me.

"Yes?" he asks

"Mrs. Prune asked that I come get Hannah" I say, wildly inventing "To…..help our class with our reading"

"All right, I`ll get her" he says, buying the story, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Hannah appears in front of me, looking worried.

"Mrs. Prune asked for me?" she asks, sounding worried and pleased at the same time.

"No! Yes! No. I don`t know. Just come on!" I say pulling her down the hall "We get to the bathroom and I find that Eva has relocked the door. I put my mouth up to the crack and whisper.

"Eva! It's me!" she opens the door and lets us in, quickly relocking the door.

"Ok, what is going on?" asks Hannah

"Long story, but we think she has the same magic-y stuff as you!" I say. Hannah looks alarmed

"We need Josie" she says and runs out of the room, leaving the door swinging on its hinges. I quickly get up, and relock it. Eva and I sit in tense silence for a few minutes before we hear a loud pounding on the door. Thinking its Hannah and Josie, I go over and open the door. I find myself face to face with Mrs. Prune. She looks angry for a second, and then smiles and walks away. I turn around and see Eva still smiling and staring at the place where she was just standing.

Just the Hannah pushes open the door, and she and Josie rush in, slamming and locking the door behind themselves.

"OK," says Josie "Tell me what you did"

"Well, I smiled, and then people weren`t mad at me anymore" says Eva "What does it mean?" Josie looks over at Hannah, and they both nod.

"OK," says Josie and takes a deep breath "What I'm going to tell you is going to surprise you, and you might not believe me, and you`ll have a lot of questions, but please don't interrupt me or ask anything, or…just please be quiet"

"Ok" Hannah and I say, Eva doesn`t seem to be able to say anything at the moment. Just then the fire alarm goes off. Again.

"Another fire drill!" says Josie "Urg. Talk about bad timing" However, as I walk by Mrs. Prune; I think I discover the reason for our additional fire drill.

"There, that was much better timing" she says, grinning smugly.

**Chapter 5! this is the first chapter told from Fiona`s point of view, I don't really like her that much so far, but I think she`s going to get better. **


	6. First Sunday at Josies

**Josie**

So, I never got to tell them because of the stupid fire drill. Talk about bad timing. But I have a new plan. As we stand outside going through the fire drill procedure again, the plan is concocting and growing in my head, and by the time we get back to class, I'm all ready to put it into action. That is until I walk into the class room. Mr. Ramseur is standing by his desk looking absolutely livid.

"Someone" he says slowly, eyeing us all menacingly, as if we should know what the crime was just by the look in his eyes, which we can, because not much upsets Mr. Ramseur "took my pen" no one responds, waits a few minutes before going on, looking around as if the guilty party will just stand up and confess.

"Unless" he says in the same threatening voice "it is returned to me by the end of the day, every one of you, will be getting a call home to your parents, and suspended for the remainder of the week. If it is turned in, the guilty party alone will get this punishment" The problem is, I know who did it, but they would never confess. Hannah is a straight A student, and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her grade, even if it meant doing something horrible to the rest of us. So, no one stands up. And, at the end of the day, he informs us that he will see us on Monday.

Hannah and I walk glumly to our meeting spot, where we see Eva and Fiona looking giddy with excitement.

"Mrs. Prune gave us the next three days off!" squeals Fiona. Like squeals.

"Because Mr. Ramseur is suspending his whole class, so she thought her class might have the days off as well!"

"We know" I say.

"Oh." Says Fiona "Yeah"

"So" asks Eva "Do you know who did it?" It seems that rumors of the crime have reached the ears of the other class.

"Oh…ermm" I stutter, looking at Hannah

"No" Says Hannah emphatically "Though it is disappointing that we are missing school" She obviously isn`t going to tell anyone what really happened to the pen. Though, I understand, it would be rather hard to explain.

"To you maybe" says Fiona "But the rest of us are going to be relishing our 5 day weekend! And, the best part is, no one will think we did it, because were in the other class!"

"So, what are you guys doing over break?" I ask. It is five days. That's basically a break.

"Not much, I mean there wasn`t time to plan anything" Says Eva, and Hannah and Fiona nod.

"Well" I say, laying out my plan "It is my Sunday, so…..you guys can come over to my house on Sunday….how about at two?" They all stare at me. This is the first time I've had my Sunday at my house, so it would register some surprise.

"Ok got to go!" I say and run out of the building, away from their questions, and towards mum`s waiting car. Normally I walk home, but today she`s taking me to get my haircut. Normally she does it by magic, but it never looks very nice. It's always just a straight line. I asked her if I could go to a real haircutting salon, so maybe I would end up with something nicer than a stick straight sheet of hair on my head. I jump into the car, and slam the door. Dad can`t drive, and he doesn`t like muggle modes of transportation, but mum can.

"What's the rush?" She asks once I buckle myself in.

"Nothing." I say, not sounding to convincing.

"Ok then" she says navigating her way through the sea of parents waiting to pick up their children, and children running out to their parents cars. Neither of us talks as we drive towards the mall, a place my dad tells us we point blank can`t go, but he`s out of town, so mum consented, just this once. Him being out of town is the key to my plan, because if we are found out, which we will be, mum won`t be nearly as mad as dad.

We pull into a parking spot towards the back of the parking lot, and I hop out of the car. The haircutting place is on the far side of the mall, so we trek through the mall for about 10 minutes before we get there. The place is deserted except for a girl with spikes of pink hair. I don`t think that's the look I'm going for.

"Hey" she says "how can I help you?"

"My daughter would like a haircut" says my mother

"Right over here" She says, gesturing towards a chair in the front of the room. I sit down and she walks over to the corner of the shop, where there are three or four sliding tables with sinks on them. She pushes one over towards were we are, and starts washing my hair.

"So?" she asks "What look are we going for?"

"Something…different" I say, and then add quickly, glancing at her hair "but not too crazy" She towels off my hair, and turns me around.

"Got it" she says, after contemplating my hair for a moment "I know what I'm going to do" She turns me back around and starts snipping. There`s no mirror, so I can`t tell what she`s doing, but from the sound of it she`s cutting off a lot of hair. My mother has picked up a magazine, so she doesn`t see what's going on. After what seems like hours, she turns me around to face the mirrors on the opposite wall. I gasp. It's hideous.

On one side my hair is long and gelled down, so it looks long and smooth, and on the other side it's short. Really short. And a little spiked up. Mum looks up when she hears me gasp, and looks at my hair in horror.

"Thank you" She says "how much will that be?" She pays for my haircut and leads me back through the mall. I'm close to tears now.

"You were the one that wanted the hair cut" she says when I ask her how this happened.

"Yeah, but I didn`t want this" I wail

"Well, you should be a little more specific next time"

"Well, I didn`t know" Whatever else she says is drowned out by my sobs. I`m not generally a vain person, but my hair…When we get home I run into my room, slamming the door, and through myself onto the bed, still sobbing. Charlie comes in and tells me it's just a haircut, and that hair grows, but leaves when I don't respond. Cat comes in and tells me she thinks it looks nice, but it's so obvious she`s lying I just shake my head. Clem asks if I want her to wash out the gel and the spikes, and cut the long side to match, but I just cry more when I think of losing the one decent side left of my hair.

At some point mum brings up dinner on a tray. I don't eat any. I don`t even ask if she`s magic it back. She`ll say that your decisions are your consequences. At some point I go to sleep when I wake up. I lock my door. Thinking I'll never leave again. But I do. I tuck the good side of my hair into a hat, the bad side is to short, and I don't even want to notice it. I go to my meals, and to the bathroom, but I spend the rest of the time in my room. This is how I live until Saturday night, when I am contemplated with the thought of my friends coming over the next day.

I decide to deal with it in the morning. I hop into bed and just wish, wish; wish my hair could be normal. I fall asleep wishing. When I wake up in the morning I go into the bathroom and take my hair out of the hat for the first time in days. But, when I turn toward the mirror I don`t see my hideous haircut. I see my regular old hair. My regular old hair! My hair regrew! Like magic! Magic! My first sign of magic! I have never appreciated my boring old hair more.

"Charlie! Mum! Dad! Cat! Clem!" I yell down the hall "My Hair regrew! It was my first sign of magic!" Mum comes running out of the kitchen where she is making breakfast.

"That's amazing Josie!" she says

"Great Job, Josie" Dad says from where he`s sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading the Daily Prophet.

"YEAH!" cheer Cat and Clem. I'm showing magic. I'm honestly showing magic. This is the best day of my life. The giddy happiness carries me through the day until 1:58, when there is a knock on the door, and everything comes flooding back to me. Hannah stands there. I'm glad she`s the first one. She`ll understand.

"Hi Josie" she says

"Hannah! I'm showing magic" I exclaim

"Wow!" she says "That's awesome Josie!" I bounce around the room for a while before sitting down on the couch with Hannah. Fiona and Eva arrive a few minutes later, hesitantly sticking their heads in the door. And then cautiously walking towards the couch. And sitting on the very edge as if worried it might explode.

"It's ok" I tell them "it's a bit of an odd house but you`ll understand in a minute once….once I tell you something"

"What?" asks Eva.

"Your all witches" Sometimes saying things bluntly is easier.

"What?" asks Fiona

"You all" I say, gesturing at them "Are witches. You have magical powers. We all are. Fiona, you're the only one who hasn`t shown signs yet, but your just as magical as the rest of us"

"Believe her" says Hannah "She`s telling the truth" I cast Hannah a grateful smile, and then look at Fiona and Eva. Fiona looks like she doesn`t quite know if I've gone insane. Eva looks like there`s a possibility what I'm saying is true.

"So...That's what was happening when I smiled at people?" asks Eva. I can't` believe she actually believes me, but hey, it's easier than trying to convince people.

"I think so" I say "Charming people with smiles is kind of an unusual first sign, but, it's still magic, so, yes"

"Yeah" says Hannah "My first sign was the flying book, yours was the smile, and Josie said she just had hers"

"Yeah, I got this hideous haircut, but I regrew my hair!" I say, exited I can finally share the magical world with my friends. Hiding it from them has been really hard, and makes me feel really bad"

"What about me?" Fiona asks. The truth is, I don't actually know. I guess when my father said that my best friends were witches; he didn't specify specifically that all of them were witches. That I just assumed. I guess Fiona isn't necessarily a witch, plus she hasn't shown signs yet, but I don't think that's what she needs to hear.

"You're a witch too" I tell her, trying to sound reassuring and confident "Your just taking a little longer to show your magic" This could perfectly well be true. It's not a complete lie.

"Ok" She says slowly, not sounding at all convinced. I guess this has all been rather abrupt.

"Don't worry" I say, trying to be confident "you`ll go to Hogwarts with the rest of us"

"Hogwarts?" ask Eva and Fiona are the same time

"Magical wizard school" I say. I tell them basically everything I told Hannah, but less book related, because really, that's Hannah`s thing. My mom invites me them to stay for dinner, which they do, though they couldn`t be less interested in the food. They are a lot more interested in how my mom makes the food magically. After they leave I flop down on the couch, do my homework and then go up to bed. As I walk up the staircase I hear Charlie in his room.

"So, Jos, did you just say something about showing magic?"

"Charlie that was like, ten hours ago it took you that long?"

**Chapter 6! how do you like it so far? they will eventually go to Hogwarts, and they`ll be in the same year as Albus and Rose, so you`ll see some characters you recognize (I don't own any of them, unfortunately) **


	7. No Magic Yet

**Fiona**

So it`s official. All my friends, except me, are going off to some wizard school that I'm not even sure exists. Sure, Josie`s mom did magic. Or maybe it was just some optical illusion. But it's a pretty fancy one. But, why would they set that up? Why would they want to fool us? Or could it really be magic? But how is that possible?

Sure, Hannah and Eva believe it. But is there any explanation for it? Any at all? Could this all be some big joke? No. I don`t want to think my friends are lying to me. But how could this be possible? I tend to think things through in a reasonable way, and there is absolutely no reasonable way this could be possible. It defies science. It defies everything I've ever known.

And wouldn`t Josie have told me? I mean, it's kind of a big secret to keep. But why would she have made it up? And if she did make it up, why did she not include me in it? I mean, is she as good as friends with me as Eva and Hannah? With four friends, it's kind of hard not to pick favorites, but would she have excluded me like this in such a big way? Or is it real? My mind has been going like this in circles since our meeting. I just can`t think about anything else.

I'm thinking about this as I sit in Mrs. Prune`s class on the Monday after our little break. There doesn`t seem to be the usual degree of sleepiness as the usual days when we have a lot of reading due, probably because we had so much time to do it over the break. But, somehow, there are still people that didn't finish it. I'm not nearly as good in school as Hannah, or even Eva, but if we have a five day break even I can find time to finish my homework. Eva next to me is doodling in a notebook. I peek over and see that she`s drawn a little witch, complete with a hat and a wand, riding a broomstick. Hmph. Way to remind me.

Eva and Hannah are so distracted by all the witch nonsense, that there grades are slipping. Thinking she`s a witch, because I honestly don`t think there`s a way this is possible, is making Hannah`s grades slip. Nothing makes Hannah`s grades slip. Nothing.

Mrs. Prune is making her way down the aisle now, checking worksheets. When she gets to me and Hannah she doesn`t even read them. She just see`s that we answered all the questions, and checks them off. Wow. Then I see Eva smiling at her. Way to take advantage of your magic. Then we do our normal book discussion, and take a reading quiz. And get the next worksheet and reading assignment. Finnish the book for next Monday. I think Hannah smiled at her when she said that, normal Mrs. Prune would have had it due on Friday. Some magic is useful. Sometimes it's hard to be mad about it. I just wish I could do it.

At lunch discussion is of Hogwarts. From Classes to Clothing, it seems the wizards have quite their own culture. All the classes seem dangerous. From curses, to plants that in addition to being poisonous try to strangle you, to the school itself, which has a rather dark history. Maybe I'm just exaggerating to myself so I can take the blow easier, but I think not.

The rest of the year goes by in a similar fashion. Sitting through class with Mrs. Prune. Sitting through lunch with my friends being all excited about Hogwarts. Sitting through more of Mrs. Prune. On and on and on. Then, to my surprise the last day of school has crept up on me. Before I know it, its fifth grade graduation. The head of school gives a speech. Long, and boring as usual. The head of the middle school gives a speech. If possible more long and boring. They start calling us up to receive our diplomas.

"Alder, Madison" Is the first name called, then a few minutes later,

"Kinsley, Hannah" is called. Hannah, giddy with excitement to be graduating, nearly runs up to the front of the auditorium to receive her diploma.

"Lewis, Eva" Is called a person or two later. I don't catch any of the names in the middle, because Hannah is going on and on about her diploma.

"Weaver, Josephine" Is called after a few minutes, and Josie walks up towards the front of the auditorium, whispering to us before she goes "after this, it's just off to Hogwarts!"

"West, Fiona" Is finally called. I stand up and walk towards the front of the room, shake hands with both fifth grade teachers, the principle, and the principle of the middle school, get handed my diploma, and walk back to my seat.

The rest of the graduation goes on. Charlotte, the head of the student council gives a speech. Then the give out special awards. Hannah wins academic achievement, of course. Leanne wins some award for having a perfect attendance record. Charlotte wins some award for something.

Then, the four of us pile into Eva`s car, and drive to her house for a party. Our parents will follow on their respective cars, and meet as there. As we drive there, were all reading over our diplomas, and in Hannah`s case her award certificate, but after a few minutes I just sit back and mull things over.

I was viewing the last day of school as kind of an unofficial, invisible deadline for showing magic. But, nothing. Zilch. Nada. No magic. So, it looks like this is the end of the four of us. Three at Hogwarts, having the time of their lives. And one, Fiona, slumping along the same old same. I can tell they feel bad for me, but that just makes it worse.

I slowly drift away from them, were they are talking more about magic, towards were Hannah's little sister is playing with Elle. Strictly speaking Elle isn`t supposed to be outside, but, Eva`s mom made an exception.

"Hey Fiona" Says Leslie, Hannah`s little sister. You`d think of Hannah as someone who would be best friends, or at least friends with her little sister, but she`s not. Her motto is basically IGNORE THE SISTER. But the rest of us think Leslie is pretty nice.

"Hey Les" I say, sounding kind of dejected. I always wish I had a little sister. But, with no parents, that's not really a possibility. Though a pet would make it easier. But Gram says we can`t move to a place that allows pets, as our apartment building doesn`t. But it's not very well enforced. I know for a fact that Gina and Mike Samson in the apartment above ours have a dog. But Gram still says we can`t get a cat.

"Are you ok?" I really wish I had a little sister like Leslie

"Yes" I say, then "No. I don`t really know" I don`t really know how to explain it.

"What`s Wrong?" Everything. I don`t have magic. My friends are all going to leave me.

"Nothing" I say, then "Everything. I don`t know" Again, how do I explain it?

"Hmm?" She says "Care to enlighten me?" I sigh. She sighs. I walk away. Hannah and Eva are swimming in the lake now, and Josie`s on the shore taking off the clothes she has on over her swimsuit. Figuring a swim couldn`t hurt, I go over by Josie and set the tee shirt and shorts I`m wearing over my swim suit on a big rock next to Eva`s and dive into the lake. The water is pure, cold, silent bliss. I wish I could stay under here forever. But of course, I can`t. I swim around for a bit, and then pull myself up onto the platform beside Leslie and Eva. Hannah and Josie swim up next to us a second later, and climb up.

"So, last day of 5th grade, huh?" asks Eva

"Yeah" says Hannah "No more having to share lunch with my sister" She says, and playfully pushes her into the water. We all wait for Leslie to come up, spluttering, and pull Hannah in, but she doesn`t.

"Where is Leslie?" Hannah asks real fear in her voice.

"LESLIE?!" Yells Eva. She runs over and looks over the side of the platform, staring into the depths of the lake.

"I see something down there!" she yells. Instinctively, I took a junior life guarding course last summer; I dive into the depths of the lake. The water feels colder and more sinister then it did a few minutes ago, and the water stings my eyes as a look around frantically for Leslie.

I see the chain that connects to a rock at the bottom of the lake, to keep the platform from floating around too much, and I see somebody attached to it. Leslie! I swim frantically over to her. I shake her shoulder, and she turns toward me, her eyes filled with panic. Good, she`s still alive. She holds up a bunch of her long red hair, and I see that it's tangled with the chain. I grab the chain, pulling her hair a little in the process, and start to try to untangle it.

I'm not a master at untangling knots, and I'm doing more pulling then untangling, which is making the know bigger. I slow down, and start with a small section of hair, and slowly get in untangled with the chain. Then another. Then another. After a while I get back to pulling, but its better now, so it's actually working.

I don`t know how her hair got in such a big not in such a short time, but I sure do wish I had a pair of scissors, or something sharp I could cut it with. But, I don`t. I keep pulling, not worrying about pulling her hair anymore, just getting her loose. Leslie is starting to go limp. I pull harder and harder, and I finally get her undone. Some of her hair came out, and some is still stuck in the chains, but I think that's a fairly minor problem right now.

I push her out and towards the surface, careful to avoid pushing her into the platform she was stuck under, where I see her get pulled out by somebody else, probably Hannah, and then, relieved, I give a big kick to propel myself to the surface of the water. What I've forgot is that I'm right under the platform.

My head meets it with a sickening crash, and then I'm sinking into darkness. Literally.

**Sorry for the late chapter! and sorry its short! I`ve been super busy. There might not be a chapter next week, because I`m going on vacation, and I`m not sure there will be Wi-Fi, but we can hope. And after that I should be posting schedule!**


	8. Graduations and Birthday Parties

**Eva**

Hannah is crying. Leslie is wrapped up in a towel on the shore, trying to tell her parents what happened through her tears. Josie is crying, while simultaneously looking like she`s praying. I just am staring down into the water, hoping that Fiona`s just going to pop back up, safe and sound. But of course she isn`t. nobody can stay under water that long and pop back up safe and sound.

I already suggested that we swim around and look for her, but Hannah just shook her head. I guess after what happened to Leslie and Fiona, she doesn`t want to take any chances. So I just went back to staring. I keep thinking I see something moving around in the depths of the lake, but it could just be me playing tricks on myself. Or it could be a fish. Or it could be…

No. It`s been nearly an hour. I'm not going to give myself false hope. Or think about bodies. Eventually, our parents yell for us to come in from the dock. Dad silently hands out hot dogs, then goes over and whispers something in Fiona`s grandmother`s eat. She nods, through her tears, but doesn`t stop crying. Hannah`s mom is sitting next to her, patting her on the back, and saying soothing things. Josie`s father clears his throat. He doesn`t seem to leave his house very often, but oddly enough, he`s here for this. I guess having his daughter graduate fifth grade is an event he considers important. Seemingly more important than her 10th birthday party, because he wasn`t even there for that.

"Well..." He starts "I now this is a bad time, but there is something I need to-" Just then there is a splash in the lake. We all turn around, but don`t see anything. Another splash. Simultaneously, Josie, Hannah and I run towards the lake, and dive in, with our clothes still on. We swim out towards were the splashes were, and see someone splashing around in the water. We pull them out onto the platform, and see that it is Fiona. Hannah whoops. Josie cheers.

"How are you not dead?" I ask. She laughs, not even panting.

"I don`t know" She says "It was almost like I could, just, breath under water" We all comprehend this for a minute, before Josie cheers again.

"Magic!" we all exclaim simultaneously.

"You really think so?" She asks.

"Definitely!" says Josie "Oh, I love this day!" she says getting up and doing a little dance. We all stare at her "What? We're all going to Hogwarts together!" We all cheer again.

"Guys," says Hannah "We might want to get back to shore" We all look, and see our parents squinting towards the middle of the lake, hardly daring to believe what they see. We all slip back onto the water and slowly swim back to the shore. The second she sees here, Fiona`s grandmother grabs her and hugs her. Getting the front of her dress soaking wet, but not seeming to care. The grownups have pretty much the same response as we did. How did you survive? Yay! That sort of thing.

"Well," says Josie`s dad "This seems like as good a time as any" He pulls out 4 thick envelopes, and hands them around to the parents, and Fiona`s grandmother. They all start reading. We all look at each other excitedly; we know what those letters say.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Hannah`s dad asks. Josie`s dad sighs, takes his wand out of his pocket., flicks it in the general direction of Josie`s shoes, which she never put back on after swimming, and they come soaring towards Josie, and land neatly at her feet.

"Wow" says Hannah`s dad. The parents then go through all the questions you`d expect. Where is it? Scotland. Can we see it? No, but a picture. Can we contact our daughters there? Yes, by owl. How will they get there? There`s a train (The Hogwarts Express) that leaves from Kings Cross station on September 1st. Etc. Etc. There is also a school supplies list in the letter. We arrange a date in August to go shopping for school things.

Owl communication is explained. Apparently, owls carry wizard mail, so if we get an owl, then we can contact out parents. Hannah, Josie, and I all look at our moms hopefully, and they nod. Meanwhile, Fiona asks if she can bring a cat to Hogwarts, and use Josie`s, Hannah`s, or my owl. Josie`s dad says she could, and she looks at her grandmother. Her grandmother looks unsure, and asks about what they would do with it in the summer. After much discussion it is agreed that she can get a cat, and it will stay at my house, with Elle, during the summer. We figure Elle could use a friend.

After a while we all decide that it's getting late, and parents agree that they`ll talk to Josie`s dad if they have any questions. All my friends leave, and I walk inside, upstairs, get changed, and fall into bed with a contented sigh. Its summer.

Summer goes along in the usual way. Hanging out with my friends all day. Going to the beach, the library, or out to ice cream depending on who`s turn it is to decide where we go. The only thing that changes this summer is magic. Josie is teaching us all about magic and Hogwarts, something Hannah put her up to. Hannah is very worried that she`ll be behind those people that have grown up in magical households. None of the rest of us are worrying about this, but Hannah begged Josie to give us lessons, so eventually Josie agreed. So, now I know just about everything to know about Hogwarts it seems, and a whole lot more about magic. Though, our education on magic itself is limited, because we haven`t got our wands yet. Hannah is just about dying, not being able to practice any of the spells yet. And eventually, we all got so annoyed by it; we made her a fake wand, so she could practice, even if nothing happened.

Around the middle of July, Josie`s birthday rolls around. Normally, She`ll have a party on the beach, or at the park, and then we`ll all go for ice cream in town. But this year, know that we know her family`s secret, she`s having a slumber party at her house. As she says "Wizard Style". Were all super exited.

We do the normal ice-cream and beach with our parents, but then we all load into Josie`s car (which seems unnaturally large on the inside) and go over to her house. It's super-hot that day so we go outside, and Josie runs into the garden shed and comes out with a slip and slide, one of the short little plastic strips where you fill the edges up with water, which sprays onto the slide, so you can slide down it if it's on a hill. There are only two problems with this. Josie`s backyard is completely flat. And, we are way too big to go on the slip in slide. Just then Josie`s mum comes outside.

"Absolutely not" She says when she sees what Josie`s holding.

"Please!" whines Josie. I have no idea what Josie`s planning, but it sounds fun. Or dangerous. Or both. Probably both.

"No," says her mum "And that is final!" She marches back inside.

"What were you going to do?" asks Fiona

"You`ll see" says Josie Wickedly "just hold on a sec" She runs inside, and we can hear her pounding up the stairs. A few minutes later, she comes back outside, her older brother Charlie following her.

"Jos, if anyone finds out about this I am dead, so keep your mouth shut" He looks at us warningly, and we all nod. Charlie pulls out of his pocket a long wooden object, what I know understand to be a wand, and waves it in the direction of the abandoned slip and slide. The slip and slide lifts off the ground, and one end begins to stretch out towards Josie`s window. It attaches itself to the windowsill, but it's now curved like a water slide, and stiff, so it doesn`t flop around.

"Okay," says Josie "Thanks Charlie! And you guys come with me, the rest is a surprise!" she grabs out hands, and pulls us into the house and upstairs into her room. She pulls the curtains shut, so we can`t see what's going on outside. We all change into our swim suits, and then she pokes her head through the curtains for a second.

"Okay," she says a wicked grin on her face "it's ready!"

"What?" asks Hannah

"Something awesome!" she replies, then looks at us each appraisingly "Eva, you first"

"OK" I say, tentatively, stepping towards the window. Josie pulls aside the curtains to reveal a full on water slide.

"Go ahead" she says smiling. I step out the window onto the flat part of the waterslide, and then sit down, and push myself onto the first incline. It is the most awesome waterslide ride ever. You curve around for a bit, and then the water slide flips over, and I'm riding upside down! If this where anything except magic, I'd be dead, but there is some force keeping my bottom and legs attached to the slide. It's like gravity has reversed. The ride seems to go on for like, 10 minutes, and I have no idea how they could fit that long a waterslide ride into Josie`s back yard. And, when you're on a magic waterslide, you can go up hills, so there are longer and steeper inclines.

We go on the water slide again and again. It seems to change every time, so it never gets boring. Then, we have dinner. It is absolutely amazing. I never knew that Josie`s mum was such a good cook. After dinner, there`s cake. The cake has icing that spells out Happy Birthday Josie again and again, so before we cut the cake, we just watch it, mesmerized for a while. Before we go to bed, we have a pillow fight. But this one is enhanced by the fact that while you're hitting someone with a pillow, the pillow is screaming war cries at them. It is all in all, a party to remember.

Over the course of the summer, Josie`s parents have talked to all our parents a few more times, just to make sure we all have the details straight. We are planning on going into Diagon Alley the first weekend in August, which is now just next weekend. Were all really excited, but I swear Hannah is like, hyperventilating. We all (that's 14 of us, because Fiona`s grandmother can`t come) are going in Josie`s car. Apparently there is some sort of extending charm on it, so it can fit lots of people.

And, Indeed, a week later, there are 14 of us sitting, completely comfortably in Josie`s car. Josie`s parents are in the Front seat, with Josie`s little sisters sitting in the passenger seat beside their mum. I never even knew that Josie had little sisters. The four of us are sitting in the second row. Then Eva`s mum and dad, and Hannah`s mum and dad and Leslie, are in the back row. Josie`s brother is in the trunk. Literally, there`s like, a seat in there trunk, which is completely safe to sit in. this is because they have another extension charm on their trunk, so they can fir unlimited stuff in there, including a person.

"Ok, so where are we going to go first?" asks Hannah, holding a notebook. Hannah is making us all schedules. She is the only person who would ever do that.

"Well," says Josie`s mum "We all need to go to Gringotts first, to get our money, and then exchange your muggle money for wizarding money" Hannah copies this down onto 14 pieces of paper. Honestly, how can one person write that fast?

"Then, how about the girls go to Madam Malkins for robes, while the boys go do whatever they want to do"

"Check" says Hannah, writing so fast her hand is just a blur on the page.

"Then, maybe we all have some time to get pets, potions ingredients, etc. " she says, speaking slower now that she sees that Hannah is copying all this down. "Then, we could all meet at Flourish and Blotts to get books, and then go to Ollivanders for wands." She concludes.

"Perfecto" says Hannah, writing a few more things down, before handing out schedules to everyone except Charlie, who`ll get his when we get out.

A few minutes later we pull up in front of a pub, and we all start piling out. It must look odd to passerby, to see 13 people piling out of a car that looks like it can seat four, and someone climbing out of the trunk. Hannah, hands Charlie his schedule, and the rest of us stand around, awaiting further instructions.

"Ok guys, just think," says Josie`s mum excitedly "next time you`ll be in this car we`ll be going to Hogwarts!"

"What about the trip home?" Hannah asks.

"Well, besides that" she says.

"Ok, everyone inside" says Josie`s dad, gesturing at the pub door.

"Um...Inside where?" asks mum. Can she not see the Pub?

"I'm sorry" says Josie`s dad "I forgot the muggles can`t see the Leaky Cauldron, just follow me" We are a very strange processions. Hannah and my parents are following Josie`s dad, but keep bumping into the doorframe, but eventually we get through.

"I would explain Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron," says Josie`s dad once where inside "But I think people want to go shopping, so off we go!" He leads us out the back door, to a brick alley filled with dumpsters. He taps some of the bricks, and the slowly begin to open to from an archway into one of the most amazing places I have ever seen.

**Kind of a filler chapter, and I`m sorry its late (again). I`ve been pretty busy, and I`m behind on my writing. But, there should be some long chapter coming up, so look forward to those. Thanks to everyone who`s still reading this story!**


	9. Diagon Alley

**Josie **

The looks of sheer awe on my friend's faces perfectly reflect my expression the first time I came to Diagon Alley. They are running from shop window to shop window, peering at the displays inside. Hannah looks like there is some huge struggle going on inside her. It looks like there is some sort of gravitational pull tugging her towards the book store, and an equal one tugging her towards Madam Malkins and sticking to the schedule. Our parents gave us some time to explore while they went and exchanged the money, so Hannah already has that crossed off her schedule.

Sticking to the schedule wins of course. Hannah is a perfectionist, she wouldn`t go against a schedule or a rule for anything. At Madam Malkins I finally get Hogwarts robes. It's so exciting, it's really Hogwarts stuff, and it closes the deal on going. Half way through Hannah getting fitted for her robes, a haughty looking boy, and his even haughtier father walk in, followed by a nice looking women, who appears to be the boy's mother.

The fathers gaze shifts to Hannah`s mother, who is having wizarding money explained to her by my mum. His nose crinkles up a bit. Great. He`s a pure blood supporter. The mother gives the man a look; he sighs and rings the bell for service. It appears the mother is not filled with the same pure blood mania as the man. The women fitting Hannah`s robes, gestures at Hannah, then holds up one finger, for just wait a minute. Her mouth is full of pins, so she can`t talk. After she`s done with Hannah`s robes, she tells them to wait for a minute, she has some other customers to attend to.

Me, Fiona, and Eva all get our robes made, and we don't even have to interact with the family, because we leave as soon as they start, and while were both waiting, they don't show even the slightest inclination of wanting to talk to us. That's fine by me, though both the boy`s mother and our mothers look like they want to talk to each other, but then look at the man, and then at each other, and then back at each other, and they don`t end up talking to each other.

Then, were on the street again. We get out cauldrons, potions ingredients, and all the other supplies we`ll need at Hogwarts. Each shop gets the same look of awe from Hannah, Eva, and Fiona, and even from me, the amazingness of Diagon Alley never really wears off. It really is a whole different world from the muggle world.

We decide, that since Charlie is getting some owl treats for his owl, we`ll go get out pets next. I quickly find an owl I like. Its smallish white bird, which I name Lailie. Mum said that I should choose a different owl, because she won`t stop chirping, and mum says that will get annoying, but I think it's kind of cute.

Hannah finds a Honey colored bird that seems to have a glow about it that she names Melina. Lailie and Melina are both in their cages, being held by our mums, but Eva and Fiona are still looking around. Eva is torn between a handsome snowy owl and a purring tabby cat. Fiona is looking around for the perfect cat. Eventually Eva decides on the cat, which she names Greta. And Fiona finally finds the perfect cat, a silvery-black cat which she names Stella. Fiona decides that she`ll use Lailie to contact her grandmother, and Eva will use Melina. And Elle will have both Greta and Stella as friends during the holidays. I hope Elle gets along with other cats.

After all the pet shopping, we decide to have lunch before we go to get books. We eat in the Leaky Cauldron, but lunch is hurried, because we`re all anxious to get to the book store, finally our mums say we can run ahead and look around. Hannah is just pulling random books off the shelves, soaking it all in, Eva is looking through our school books, which she has already found, and Fiona is reading a book about magical powers she can teach Stella. I didn`t know such books existed. Meanwhile, I found An Updated History of Hogwarts by Hermione Weasley, and am sitting in a chair reading, and am already done with chapter one by the time our parents come in.

"Guys," says mum "time to get school books" We all sigh, and close the books were reading, and go and find our school books. Mum does get me the new Hermione Weasley book though. I'm going to read the whole thing tonight. Or at least most of it. Hermione Weasley just has a way of making history not boring. But Hannah is the only one who reads a book in one night. Even a Hermione Weasley book takes me at least two. After all our books are purchased, I finally tuck my book away, and we head over to Ollivanders, for the most anticipated part of the day. Getting our wands.

"Welcome" says Mr. Ollivander. He`s actually Mr. Ollivander`s son. Mr. Ollivander was killed in the war "I have much anticipated the day you would come to get your wand, Miss West, and you Miss Weaver" that's a bit odd. Why Fiona? She`s muggle born, so why was he anticipating her getting her wand?

"Thank you" says Fiona slightly questioningly. She must be wondering about it to.

"How about you young lady," he says, gesturing at Eva "go first"

"Alright." She says, not sounding entirely sure of herself. She gets up, and walks over to the counter. He pulls out some measuring tapes, and they begin to measure every part of Eva, while Mr. Ollivander wanders through the back of the shop, where wand boxes are stacked in seemingly disorganized piles. After a few minutes the measuring tapes drop to the floor, and Mr. Ollivander slides a dusty box off one of the back shelves.

"Try this" he says "just give it a wave" Eva waves it, but nothing happens. He pulls out another wand. She waves it, and nothing happens. Three or four more with the same result. Finally, he hands her a wand, and when she waves it, a couple of silver sparks come out he end, and the wilting flowers sitting on the counter bloom again.

"That's the one" he says "Apple, Dragon Heart String, 9 ¾ inches, solid" Eva tucks it carefully away in her pocket, but then takes it out and holds it, as if even her pocket isn`t safe enough for her wand. Mr. Ollivander gestures at Hannah next. She goes through the measuring tapes procedure, and then gets handed a wand.

She waves it, and nothing happens. The next wand she waves is quite short, and when she waves it flies out of her hand, and lands on the floor at her feet. Then maybe five or six more with no result. Then, finally, she waves a long thin wand and a small jet of water flies out, forms a long strand, and rolls over the top of the counter, which is left sparklingly clean.

"There we go Willow, unicorn hair, 11 and ¼ inches, springy" he says "now you Miss Weaver" I slowly step forward, and stand still while I get measured. He hands me a wand, and I wave it, but it doesn`t feel any different than the sticks I used to pretend were wands and play with at home. Charlie says that when you find the right wand, it will feel different, and magical. I don`t really know what that feeling is, but it's not this.

"Ok, ok, try this one" I get handed a short wand, but it doesn`t feel quite right in my hand, I wave it, and like I expect, nothing happens. The next one is much too long. The next one too big. The next one too thin. Then, finally, I get handed a wand that fells right. I wave it, and a few sparks come out. Nothing compared to Hannah and Eva, but it's something.

"Ash, Unicorn hair, 10 inches, reasonably supple" I was hoping for phoenix feathers, but it's still a wand, which is awesome! Phoenix feathers just sound awesome though.

"Miss West" calls Mr. Ollivander, after handing me my wand. I don`t catch most of Fiona`s trying out of wands, because I'm trying out mine. It just feels so much more like a wand then the sticks me and Charlie used to play with. Fiona seems to go through, like, half the shop before she finds the perfect wand for herself. There is a HUGE pile of wands on the counter before she finally finds the perfect wand.

"Cedar, 10 ½ inches, phoenix feather, quite springy" Fiona carefully takes her wand, and then we exit the shop. As we leave I see the boy and his mother from Madam Malkins. I don`t know where the father is, but they seem to look a whole lot nicer now that he isn`t around. I hope that if she`s in our year at Hogwarts, I don`t have to meet his father.

**Sorry for the short chapter. But at least there is a chapter. this chapter has a lot more stuff from the books then the previous chapters, so please tell me if I`m getting anything wrong or misspelling things. thanks!**


	10. Packing

**Hannah **

After we got home from Diagon Alley I packed my trunk for Hogwarts. Then, realizing I still had three weeks to go until school started, I unpacked and read all my books. Then, I repacked. Then unpacked and read the books again. Then repacked. Unpacked. Repacked. On and on and on until now, a week away from going to Hogwarts. We are all beyond exited. I'm rereading A Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 for like, the millionth time, while Greta sleeps in my lap. It turns out Elle does not need a friend, and does not want a friend, so Greta is staying with me, and Stella is staying with Josie.

Mum says I can`t do any magic until I get to Hogwarts, because she`s worried I`ll blow up the house or something like that, but I may have been bending the rules a teeny tiny bit. Josie would be proud. She`s always saying that I'm too much of a goody two shoes. Well I'm just telling myself that I'm not breaking the rules, I'm getting ready for school, because I'm already probably so far behind the people that have grown up in a magical household. Well, I take that back, most of them. Josie still can`t do any magic, and yesterday I mastered the unlocking spell. Just then I hear a frantic pounding on the front door.

"Come on in!" Mum yells. She is a very trusting person, though inviting strangers into the house might be crossing the line a bit. Though, it`s probably just Josie. And, it is. She runs into my room, not even bothering to knock, and collapses on by bed, still panting from probably running all the way across town.

"Hannah, Hannah, Hannah!" she pants "I lost my cauldron!" She finishes, regaining some of her breath.

"How do you lose a cauldron?" I ask. Only Josie.

"I don`t know, but I did, and I haven`t told mum, but she`ll be so mad!"

"Ok, ok" I say standing up. Greta hisses as she leaps onto the floor, I completely forgot she was sleeping there "I`ll come over and help you find it"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Josie exclaims, grabbing my arm and tugging me out of the room. We run all the way through town, Josie tugging on my arm the whole way. When we get to Josie`s I see why she`s lost her cauldron. Her room looks like there was some sort of explosion. Clothes are strewn everywhere, books are piled precariously on every available surface, potions ingredients have spilled all over her floor.

"Ok." I say "What you need to do is clean" I look at her. She looks at the mess. We both nod. We both start cleaning. Folding clothes, putting books on her bookshelf or in her trunk, putting potions ingredients back in there little baggies. Eventually I'm the one who finds her cauldron, shoved half under her bed, and covered in tee shirts.

"How," I ask after an hour or so, when the end is finally in sight "did your room get to be such a mess?" looking guilty, Josie answers.

"Well, I was just, you know, deciding what to pack" I raise my eyebrows at her "well, I took out all my clothes and books, and everything we bought in Diagon Alley instead of packing one thing at a time" she explains.

"And that Josie, is exactly what you shouldn`t do" After that, I help her pack her trunk, much more neatly then before. Midway through packing her books Fiona comes over.

"Hannah?" She asks "can you help me pack my trunk?" why, oh why, are none of my friends good packers? And how did she know I was here? She probably went over to my house and mum told her I was here. Or she knew that there was a pretty good chance I'd be at Josie or Eva`s, so came over to check Josie`s before heading over across town.

"Sure" I say "I`ll be over after I finish Josie`s" And, miraculous though it is, I do eventually finish packing Josie`s trunk, and head over the Fiona`s. Fiona lives in an apartment building with her grandmother, which she absolutely hates, but the rest of us think is pretty cool. It's one of those old fashioned walk up apartment buildings, with a big staircase on the side of the building, because it used to not have an elevator. Now, of course, it does, but it breaks down every few days, and Fiona only lives on the third floor, so we hardly ever use it.

I knock on the door, and a moment later Fiona opens it. Her grandmother takes yoga weekday afternoons, so in the summer Fiona has the apartment all to herself from 2:30 until 4:30. Right now it's about 3:45, so we still have 45 more minutes until her grandmother gets home. Fiona`s room looks just as neat as it always is, which isn`t very neat, but it`s not nearly as bad as Josie`s.

"I haven`t really started" she says, and I sigh "but I anticipated needing help" I sigh again. Though, having me come over from the start was probably better than what Josie did. We start packing. Fiona is actually a fairly neat packer, she would have been fine without my help, but packing with two people is a lot faster.

I get home about 4:30, and am planning on going back to my reading, I'm not in a mood to pack after all the packing and cleaning I did today. I get myself a snack from the kitchen, and am heading up to my room when I see that my bedroom light is on. Mum is probably cleaning. She does a lot of cleaning. Though my room is already clean. But when I go in I see Eva, sprawled out on my bed, reading one of my books.

"What are you doing?" I ask her

"Reading" she says

"In my room?"

"Yep. I was just waiting for you to get home, because I need you to-"

"You need me to help you pack, don`t you?" Yep. I'm officially the only one of my friends who feels they can pack on their own. Though we are going away for several months. But still.

"Yep" she says "can you come over now?" I really am just about packed out for the day but these are my best friends.

"Sure"

By the time I have helped Eva packed, came home, eaten dinner, and finished all the reading I want to do, mum is yelling for me to go to bed. So much for learning another spell tonight. Oh well. The rest of the week is just as hectic and busy. I go over to Josie two more times to help her pack and clean, because she unpacked. We all go over to Josie`s like 15 more times to plan all the stuff were going to do at Hogwarts, and just to talk about it. And the whole time our parents won`t stop crying because were going away. By the time Thursday rolls around I'm exhausted and just want to sleep, but it's the busiest day of all. Thursday morning I do the final packing of my trunk, then about 11 we all, parents and siblings included, meet at Eva`s house for a "Last Day Before Hogwarts" party.

"Well, they look like they're having fun" the four of us are sitting in Eva`s old tree house, the lake having been vetoed because of what happened last time. Catherine and Clementine, Josie`s little sister are playing some sort of intricate hand came with Leslie. They`ll be going to Hogwarts in three years, if Leslie`s a witch, that is. Charlie and Josie`s dad are watching Eva`s dad and dad barbeque hamburgers, fascinated at cooking without magic. All the mums, and Fiona`s grandmother, are sitting in lawn chairs by the lake, laughing at a joke Josie`s mum just told. It's just about perfect. We just sit in silence for a while, soaking it all in, finally realizing that this is the last night we`ll be sleeping in our own beds until Christmas break.

"Foods ready!" Eva`s dad yells across the yard. We all climb out of the tree house and go over to the picnic tables. The four of us, Leslie, Catherine, Clementine, and Charlie all sit at one table, while all our parents, plus Fiona`s grandmother, sit at another table. It's the perfect summer evening, the barbeque is perfect, and the whole thing is just picture perfect.

After dinner I go into Eva`s house quickly to use the bathroom. When I come out, I can`t see anyone by the lake. I start walking over there, looking around, trying to see where everyone is. When I get to the picnic tables were we ate, I look around. It's completely deserted. Did everyone leave? Just then,

"SURPRISE" All my family and friends jump up from behind the bushes. Mum is holding a cake. She walks over and sets it on the table, and I see it reads Happy Early Birthday Hannah.

"We had to celebrate your birthday" She says, smiling, and gives me a hug. My birthday is ironically September 2, the day after we go away.

"Thank you so much!" I say. It's the perfect end to a perfect evening. We eat the cake, which is very good. And then I get my presents from mum, dad, and Leslie. Eva, Josie, and Fiona say that they`ll give me there`s on my actual birthday. Leslie gives me some bookmarks, and a book. From mum and dad I get one of the books I was looking at in flourish and blots, and they say cryptically that I`ll see what my big present is on my actual birthday. As mum, dad, Leslie, and I are walking home I sigh. This has just been the perfect evening. The only thing spoiling it is the thought that after tomorrow I won't see them again until Christmas.

The next morning begins well. I have breakfast, and get all my stuff in my trunk and outside. At some point Eva comes over, lugging her trunk with her trunk behind her. She picks up Greta`s basket, in which she is currently sleeping, and sets it on top of her trunk. Melina, my owl, is in her cage, looking slightly ruffled. Let's just say Mely is not a big fan of her cage. Josie is scheduled to get all her stuff in the car, pick up Fiona, and then come pick up us. And, get us to the train station 10:30, half an hour before the train leaves, so we have tons of cushion time in case there`s lots of traffic, or the train leaves early, or a million other possible maladies Josie has come up with. She`s a bit stressed.

The problem is its 10:15. 15 minutes after we were supposed to be on the road driving towards London. And I bet, even if by some miraculous miracle we leave within the next minute, I doubt even Josie`s magically enhanced car can get us to Kings Cross in half the time it should naturally take. About three minutes later, Josie`s car pulls up in front of our house. Josie and her dad hop out.

"Sorry were late," Josie pants, as her dad begins to load our trunks into the trunk of the car "It's just, well, I…er…unpacked again…..and…well, I'm not the best repacker..."

"Josie" I say, mock accusingly, but then laugh at the look on her face, and give her a quick hug "It's okay"

I slide into the backseat, after Josie, who already has Fiona and her grandmother on the other side of her. Even after Eva slides in after me, all five of us are completely comfortable. In front of us sit my mum and dad, and Eva`s mum and dad and Charlie. And in front of them are Josie`s mum and dad, and Catherine and Clementine and Leslie. And it's not at all cramped. Though a bit loud, because we all have our pets on our laps.

When we pull up in front of Kings Cross, its 10:50. There was a fair amount of traffic, even if Josie`s dad was driving as fast as he could. We all quickly pile out of the car. Josie`s mum runs in and gets trolley's for us, and we quickly put our trunks and pets on them and run into the station.

"Abby!" yells Josie`s dad as we rush into the train station. Josie`s mom turns around and we all come to a halt "remember to show them how to get onto platform!" I have no idea what he means, but she obviously does, and she yells out "I know!" as he drives away to park. Our letters did say that we got the train at platform 9 3/4, which I've never heard of before. That must be what he means.

We all rush through the station, quite a sight with our owls and trunks, all the way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten. But I don't see a platform 9 ¾.

"Ok" says Josie`s mum "What you have to do is walk straight through that barrier" she indicates the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

"Umm… I`m not sure that's possible" I say tentatively.

"It is" she says surly "take it at a run if you're nervous. Here, Caty and Clemy and I will go first" She takes the twins hands, and the walk fairly quickly through the barrier. Through the barrier. I don`t blink as there going through, but there doesn`t seem to be a moment of contact, they just go through it as if it isn't there, and then they disappear.

"Ok, erm…who wants to go first?" asks Josie. No one answers "Ok, Hannah and Leslie" We step forward and slowly, pushing my trolley with Leslie holding onto its edge, we walk towards the barrier. Remembering what Josie`s mum said, and pick up my pace, and start running toward the barrier. I brace myself for the impact, but it doesn`t come, instead it's almost like we just ran through the barrier onto another platform. Which, I think as the smoke clears, seems to be exactly what we have done.

**Yay! chapter 10! another filler chapter, sorry. I`m super behind on my writing, so I might take of 2 or 3 weeks to write a few. please don't abandon me! it makes me very happy that people actually read my story. reviews make me even happier. **


	11. The Hogwarts Express

**Eva**

As the smoke clears, I see a large scarlet steam engine, bearing the words The Hogwarts Express on the front. The platform is crowded with students and their families, all looking decidedly wizard-like. Most of the parents wear robes, and you can easily spot the non-wizard families. I spot the boy we ran into at Madam Malkins, not looking any nicer or less arrogant then he did then. The train is leaving in just a few minutes, because we were so late leaving, so we start hurriedly loading our trunks onto the train, and into an empty compartment we find. We have just gotten off the train to say good bye to our parents when Josie screams.

"What is it? Are you hurt?" Hannah asks quickly.

"No it's…look!" she says, pointing out a family of four. Then I realize the reason for her excitement. It's not just any family of four. It's Hermione Weasley, and her husband and kids. Josie screams again.

"Josie! Calm down!" says Fiona.

"But it's...It's its Hermione Weasley!" Josie is still spluttering she`s so excited. I never thought I'd see the day when Josie was more excited about an author then Hannah.

"Josie," I say "If you want to say hi or get an autograph, go over there very calmly"

"Ok," She says, taking a deep breath "Ok. Let me just go get my book so she can sign it"

"Alright" I say, and roll my eyes. Josie comes back out a second later, takes a deep breath and walks over to Hermione Weasley. She instructed us to stay on the train, to make sure it doesn`t leave without her, because it's scheduled to leave in one minute. Just as the clock clicks to ten, Josie jumps back on the train, and we go back to our compartment.

"I got my book autographed by Hermione Weasley "She repeats in a singsong voice over and over again. Just as the train starts to pick up pace, and girl with bushy flaming red hair, blue eyes, and rather large front teeth opens the compartment door.

"Can my cousin`s and I sit in here?" she asks "Everywhere else is full, except for our other cousins compartment, and they are behaving very childishly, and then there`s the compartment Malfoy`s in-" A boy with bright green eyes and untidy black hair pushes ahead.

"What Rosie means is this is the only compartment left anyone would want to sit in"

"Sure, you can sit here" says Hannah, scooting over. The girl, Rosie, sits down next to her, and the boy sits down next to Josie. Behind them a girl with long strawberry blond hair, blue eyes, and freckles comes in and sits on the other side of Rosie.

"I`m Rose," The girl says, glaring at the boy "Rose Weasley-"

"Are you related to Hermione Weasley?" Josie interrupts.

"Yes, she`s my mum" Josie looks at Rose in awe for a few seconds before responding.

"She`s like, my favorite author ever"

"Well, I`m sure mum would be quite happy to hear that"

"Oh, I already told her, when I got by book autographed" Josie gives a little happy squeak. Rose looks at her, and she composes herself.

"Ok then," Says the boy "I`m Albus Potter, yes as in Harry Potter`s my dad" He adds as Hannah starts to ask.

"Cool!" She says "I`m Hannah Kinsley"

"I`m Eva Lewis" says Eva

"I`m Josie Weaver" says Josie "And my favorite author is Hermione Weasley"

"We know Josie," says Fiona "And I`m Fiona West"

"And, I`m Dominique Weasley, but you can call me Dom" The girl with strawberry blond hair says, speaking up. We sit in silence for a few minutes. Then a few more. Rose actually gets out one of our textbooks and starts reading.

"So," says Albus, breaking the silence. Rose carefully puts a bookmark in her book and puts it back in her bag "What are your Quidditch teams?"

"Quidditch?" asks Hannah, then turns to Josie "Josie?"

"Oops...I may have forgotten to explain Quidditch..." She says

"Josie!" exclaims Hannah. Albus and Rose look confused.

"I`ve been telling them lots about the wizarding world, because there all muggle born"

"Oh" Says Rose "Well, Quidditch isn`t that big a thing, I personally don`t understand what all the big fuss is about it"

"Not a big thing?!" Ask Josie and Albus simultaneously.

"Really, it's just a game"

"Just a game?!" They say

"Can somebody please just explain what it is?" I ask

"Well," says Josie "It's a game, played on broomsticks-"

"Which makes it quite unsafe" Interrupts Rose

"Well, either way, there are 4 balls-"

"Half of which are trying to murder you" Rose interrupts again.

"They try to knock you off your broomstick, but no one has actually died...I don`t think…"

"Well it's really awesome!" Says Albus. Albus and Josie take turns explaining the game. Rose huffs and takes out her textbook again, which I can now see is A Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, and continues reading. I tune out most of the explanation, because it's kind of hard to understand and after about twenty minutes it turns to talk of Quidditch matches they`ve seen, and I don`t understand any of it. What I do get from it is that Rose was right about one thing, it sounds super dangerous.

Hannah now has one of her textbooks out and is reading, Josie and Albus are still in full flow about Quidditch, and Fiona and I are talking to Dom about what were most looking forward to at Hogwarts.

"Well, my mother didn't go to Hogwarts, she went to a wizarding school in France,  
Beauxbatons so, I nearly went there, but dad finally convinced her for us to go here, and now she`s quite exited, of course, my older sisters already in 6th year, so she knows a bit about Hogwarts but not much" says Dom.

"Well, I`m muggleborn, and so is Fiona, so our parents know nothing about Hogwarts, and we are so exited!" I say

"Did Hannah tell you about the sorting in your wizard lessons?" Dom asks

"yes, she said there were four houses" Fiona says "but I don't quite remember….HuffleFluff? maybe"

"Hufflepuff" Dom corrects "and Gryffindor and Ravenclaw and Slytherin. I want to be in Gryffindor, that's the house my dad was in. My older sister`s in Ravenclaw though, so that would be fine to. Anything as long as i`m not in Slytherin.

Around noon a plump little witch pushing a cart filled to the brim with what appear to me wizard candy and treats sticks her head into the compartment. "Anything off the trolley, dears?" She asks. I assume they are taking wizarding money, like we used in Daigon Alley. I only have a little left, but I can`t see what else I would use it for, so I give it to Josie, and tell her to get whatever she thinks I would like. I don`t what to risk ending up with some strange wizard candy. Hannah and Fiona do this to, Hannah telling Josie to get something chocolate, Hannah loves chocolate, and Fiona telling Josie to get whatever her favorite was. Rose and Albus go outside to get treats to. When Josie comes back in, it looks like she`s gotten one of everything on the cart.

"Want to combine and share?" she asks Albus, who nods, his mouth already full.

"Rose?" He says as he swallows.

"No thank you," she says "I just got this for myself" she holds up a bar of chocolate. Josie hands Hannah an identical chocolate bar. As we dump out all our candy, Rose decides she`s going to go sit with some of her older cousins. I catch the names Molly and Augusta. Rose asks Hannah and Dom if they would like to come with her. Hannah says alright. She looks at us apologetically, and then steps out of the compartment. The second the glass door closes, Fiona pulls out a folder.

"Ok, birthday party planning session is now in progress"

"What?" asks Albus.

"Were planning a surprise birthday party for Hannah. Her birthday`s tomorrow" I say.

"Oh. Ok."

"So, Josie, any reports?"

"Well, I told Charlie-"

"Charlie? Like Charlie Weaver?" Interrupts Albus.

"Yes," Says Josie, confused "My older brother"

"James`s best friend?"

"Yeah. He had a friend named James. James Potter. Potter!"

"Yeah, he`s my older brother!"

"Wow!"

"Guys," says Fiona "This is cool and all, but we don`t know how long Hannah will be gone for"

"Ok. Back to business" says Josie "Were having the party on the grounds. Charlie`s getting food. Eva, you have all the presents sorted out, right?"

"Yep." I say. Hannah`s birthday present was going to be awesome. It was from all of us and her parents, and Charlie and some of his friends were helping.

"Ok, well, we seem pretty good. And we`ll all invite whoever we meet that seems nice. Albus, you and Rose are invited, and you can bring any of your friends."

"Ok," says Albus "Just one question. How is your brother planning on getting food?"

"He said James would help him" says Josie

"Good."

"Why?" asks Josie

"Well, my brother knows how to get to the kitchens. And that's the best place to get food"

"OK then" says Josie. Just then then the glass door to the compartment slides open. Fiona hastily puts away the folder. Hannah and Rose come in.

"Augusta was not acting her age" She says huffily. Hannah doesn`t say anything, but whispers to us.

"I didn't really mind them, but I didn`t want to stay in there alone"

"Come on Rosie," says Albus, Rose glares at him "lay off Augy. And, you're not acting your age. 11 year olds shouldn`t say older kids aren`t acting there age" She huffs and goes back to her book. Hannah does to. Now that we can`t talk about the party, we start eating our candy.

"These are Chocolate Frogs, and Pumpkin Pasties, and Bertie Botts every flavor beans..." says Albus, pointing at all the different unfamiliar candies. I go for a chocolate frog, it sounds the safest. That is, until I open it, and it starts hopping around. I jump up, trying to bat it off me, and it jumps out of the window, which we opened earlier when we were hot. Josie and Albus are roaring with laughter.

"That wasn't really a frog, was it?" I ask

"No, just a charm," says Dom "What card did you get?"

"Card?" I ask

"Chocolate frogs come with a card with a famous witch or wizard on them," says Josie "I`ve got 493"

"I`ve got 527" says Albus. Josie sticks out her tongue at him. "Though, admittedly 38 of them are of my dad"

"Ha-ha!" says Josie "Then I've got more!"

"How many do you have of my dad?"

"Well...9"

"Ha-ha then I've got more!"

"Actually, I win" says Dom "617, 14 of your dad" Josie and Albus both stick out there tongues at her. meanwhile I`m admiring my Chocolate frog card, which has a picture of the witch we saw on the platform, and reads:

Hermione Weasley

Hermione Jean Weasley (nee Granger) is most famously known for her help in the end of the rule of he-who-must-not-be-named, as well as her founding the S.P.E.W. department in the Ministry of Magic, and her many highly acclaimed works of literature. She enjoys a quiet life with her husband, daughter, and son, working as the head of the S.P.E.W. department, and reading and writing in her free time.

"I`ve got Hermione Weasley" I say.

"My mu-" Rose starts to say, but is cut off Josie.

"Can I have it!?" she asks. Somehow I anticipated this turn of events.

"Sure" I say. As I hand it over to her, Rose pulls out a book and begins to read. This doesn`t startle me that much, because the some of the pictures in Josie`s house move, but it makes me jump a little. I eat a few more chocolate frog cards, and get Morgana, Harry Potter, Merlin, Dumbledore, and Circe. This time I eat the chocolate frogs, though tentatively. Next I try a Pumpkin Pasty, which I find much more enjoyable. Then, I dive into a box of Bertie Botts every flavor beans.

"Be careful," says Josie "They really do mean every flavor" I shrug a try a green one, hoping for mint. Aww. It tastes like grass. Do not judge, I once ate grass, I was seven at the time. I set the box aside, and steal a piece of Hannah`s chocolate bar, which she is eating incredibly slowly. She then gives me a piece, I try to say thank you, but my mouth is full so it comes out "tank ew" she rolls her eyes.

When our candy is gone, except for the weirdly colored Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans that none of us are daring enough to try, the sliding door is pushed open. I look up to see the boy from Madam Malkins sneering down at us, along with one or two friends behind him.

"Potter, Weasley, Miss Delacour" he says indicating Albus and Rose, who are looking at him in disgust "But who are these fine young ladies? Is that one a Weasley too? Now there are so many of you its like you've multiplied" I start to answer, but Rose cuts me off.

"Go away Malfoy!" she says, glaring at him "Eva be quite, let me deal with him"

"Touchy, touchy, just like Granger"

"Don`t you dare," she says taking a swing at him, but being blocked by one of the boys behind him, who has quickly stepped forward "Talk about my mum lie that!" she pulls out her wand "Get ready Malfoy" He hastily steps out of the compartment muttering something about "Grangers daughter"

"Wow Rose" says Hannah "and, why did he call me a Weasley?"

"Malfoy!" she yells

"She has a bit of a grudge" says Albus "let's just say his father wasn`t very nice to our parents"

"A bit!" Says Josie "I`d say a lot"

"Yeah, more of a ton" amends Albus. Fiona, who has been peering out the window turns around.

"He called you a Weasley" says Rose "because all Weasley`s have red hair, so if you have red hair Malfoy considers you a Weasley. And if you are a Weasley, Malfoy considers you beneath him. But he is just a piece of scum!"

"Ok, Rose, calm down" Says Albus, sitting her down, and handing her a left over chocolate frog.

"Guys," she says "I think we`d better get ready, it looks like we're almost there!" Josie makes Albus leave while we all change, except for Rose, who is already in her robes, and is now reading. Again. Then she summons Albus back in, and we leave while he changes, except for Rose, who is still reading, though I doubt she looks up. Were all admiring our new Hogwarts robes, looking at our reflections in the black glass, when Albus comes out to tell us he`s changed and we can come back in, when the train comes to a halt, and the corridor begins to fill with people.

"What about our trunks!" Hannah yells, and begins pushing against the tide of people coming towards us to get off the train.

"Charlie told me you leave them on the train, and they bring them up to the school separately," says Josie "Funny, we must have missed the announcement"

"You could have told us that!" Hannah yells over the noise of people talking. We get off the train, and look around, students begin to load into carriages that appear to be pulling themselves, we look around for Rose and Albus and Dom, but we don`t see them.

"Firs` years! Firs` years over here!" we turn to see a very large man wearing a large moleskin overcoat giving Rose and Albus a hug.

"They must know him" commented Hannah.

"Yeah," I say "Well, here we go, off to Hogwarts"

**Well, off to Hogwarts! How do you like Rose and Albus and Dom? And Augy is Neville and Hannah`s oldest daughter, the younger two being Ally, who you will meet in a chapter or two, and Grace, who is the same age as Hugo and Lily. **


	12. The Potters

**Fiona**

"Get in the boats, no more'n four to a boat" The man says, getting into his own boat. But were all staring in awe up at the castle, which has just come into view. We're standing on the edge of a great black lake, and on the far side is Hogwarts, with its towers and turrets, and glittering windows. Going from living in a tiny apartment with Gran to this is going to be quite a change.

"Follow me, into the boats ya go" He says beckoning us towards the boats.

"That`s Hagrid" Rose tells us as Albus, her, Dom and another girl get into the boat next to ours. We all get into a boat, Eva and Josie in the front, me and Hannah in the back, and they begin to move, of their own accord, towards the main land. The closer we get, the better you can see the castle, and the more magnificent it looks.

"Heads down" Hagrid yells as we approach the castle. We pass through a narrow passage in the rock, and into an underground cove. As we pull in, we unload from the boats, Hagrid climbs up a set of stone steps, and knocks three times on a wooden door. We follow Hagrid slowly up the stairs, and the door flies open, at first we can`t see anyone standing there, but as we move up the stairs, and exceptionally short wizard is revealed, a few feet shorter than me, and wearing deep blue robes.

"Hello Hagrid, new first years?"

"Yep" Hagrid steps forward through the door, and the short man addresses us.

"Welcome to Hogwarts! My name is Professor Flitwick, and I will be one of your teachers here at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. You are about to be sorted, into one of our four houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Your house will be sort of like your family at Hogwarts. Any rule breaking will lose your house points, while your triumphs will gain them. Now follow me"

He leads us to a small room off a grand entrance hall. In the entrance hall, I see a set of two grand double doors, which I assume is where we will be sorted. The small room is filled with portraits, all of which are talking and moving from frame to frame.

"Look, Vi, first years!" A rather fat women says shrilly

"I hope you are ready to challenge the likes of me, the mighty, Sir Cadagon!" says a rather small and clumsy looking knight, who a second later falls off his plump grey pony. I turn away from the portraits, and towards Josie, who is looking nervous, Hannah, who is reciting one of our spell books from memory, and Fiona, who is desperately trying to flatten her hair.

"So," I ask "do you know how they sort us?"

"That's the only thing Charlie never told me, though he said it's really hard!" uh oh. I am not ready to do any sort of magic in front of an audience, and from the sound of it, we`ll be doing it in front of the whole school. Uh oh. Rose and Albus come to join us.

"Uncle George was saying something about wrestling trolls," said Rose, and we look at each other, horrified "But Aunt Angelina said not to worry, he was just joking, and mum told me that it was, though I think I'll keep it a surprise, but it's not wrestling trolls" we all give a small sigh of relief. I think I might have quit if we had to wrestle trolls.

"My mum says that the sorting is silly, that at Beauxbatons they have a much better way, but dad said it was just the French in her"

"Rose! Tell us!" Josie whines, ignoring Dom.

"I will" says Albus.

"Albus!" Rose says

"Rosie!" he mocks

"Albus!" she says, her tone darker

"Rosie!" he says in the same tone

"Rose!" she says "Not Rosie!"

"Why are you calling me Rose?" he asks. Looking murderous, she pulls out her wand. It's probably a good thing that Professor Flitwick comes back right at that moment.

"Ok, line up, and right this way" he lines us up, single file, and leads us into the entrance hall, and through the grand double doors I saw early. But they have now been flung open to reveal four long tables, and a shorter one at the very end, where the teachers are seated. In front of the teachers table, is a small, four legged stool with a frayed hat sitting on it. The hat has a wide teat near the brim, and looks as though it's about to fall apart, I don`t know why anyone would bother to keep it. Then I look up, there are candles floating above the tables, and above that is the sky. You can still see the beams and structure of a roof, but apart from that it looks exactly like the sky outside.

"It's enchanted to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts, a History" says Hannah from behind me. I think I nod, but I'm not sure, I'm still completely entranced by the great hall. When we reach the front Professor Flitwick lines us up in a straight line, facing the four long tables of students. There all staring at the hat, as if waiting for it to do something, so I stare too. And just as I'm thinking that this is all some big joke, the hat bursts into song.

_I`ve seen hats, new and old_

_Sleek and shiny, or with a heavy fee_

_Though no other hat, I've ever come across_

_Is quite the same as me_

_For try me on and I can tell you just where you belong!_

_Are you sly and cunning?_

_Brave of heart,_

_Or good to the core?_

_Or are you the wisest in your class,_

_Whichever, or all four!_

_Whatever you are know!_

_The brave dwell in Gryffindor,_

_While if you are quite smart,_

_You might belong in Ravenclaw, _

_Or Hufflepuff,_

_Where dwell those good of heart_

_Or if you are cunning,_

_Full of trickery,_

_Sly Slytherin is where you will go_

_So just try me on,_

_Easy as that,_

_And I'll tell you where you go!_

The hat goes quite again, and all the students and teachers start to applaud, so I do too. I glance at Hannah next to me, and she is applauding too, so I figure I'm doing the right thing. Then Professor Flitwick pulls out a long piece of parchment, nearly as tall as him, did I mention he was incredibly short?

"When I call your name, please come forward, try on the hat, and it will announce in which house you will be in" He says in his squeaky little voice. So there will be no wrestling with trolls.

"Abram, Mark" he calls. A small boy, with square glasses and a long nose stumbles forward, and puts the hat on his head. It slips partway down his face, and only his nose stops it from slipping further. The hat spends about a minute just sitting there, occasionally making saying "hmmm", and then, so the whole hall can hear yells "RAVENCLAW!" The table second to the right bursts into applause, and Mark Abram stumbles over to it, taking a seat, and looking very relieved to have been sorted and to be sitting down. I hope when it's my turn to be sorted into one of the middle tables, so I don`t have to walk so far.

"Ackerly, Ember" Is called. She sits on the stool for barely fifteen seconds before the hat calls out "HUFFLEPUFF!" The table on the far left cheers for, and she goes and sits down. She didn`t take nearly as long as Mark to be sorted. Was it bad for it to take a long time? Was it good? Even though being sorted by a hat was far better than wrestling trolls, it was still stressful. At least you weren`t required to do any magic. I think I would be too nervous.

"Alden, Casey" becomes the first new Gryffindor. He looks quite confident trying on the hat, and is smiling as he goes to join the table second to the left. Gryffindor sounds like a nice house to me. Though if I have to look as confident as Casey Alden, then I definitely can`t be in it.

"Astrid, Lucia" a tall, pale, arrogant looking girl with long dark hair walks up to the stool and puts the hat on her head. She holds it up so it doesn`t fall over her eyes. The hat spends a little longer contemplating were to put her then it did Ember, but not much before it calls out "SLYTHERIN!" She heads off towards the far table on the right. They all look rather arrogant, for that matter. I hope I'm not in Slytherin, because they don`t look very nice.

Alec Bagley is sorted into Ravenclaw, after only about a second of contemplation from the hat. Then Theo Becket and Matthew Bennet become back to back Gryffindor's, Matthew looking as confident as Casey, but Theo looking so nerveos he might wet his pants. Elise Bennet is about six inches taller than me, and looks arrogant enough to be in Slytherin, but gets sorted into Ravenclaw, after much contemplation from the hat. Then a whole string of people (Connor, Juliana, Brenden, Willow, and Mandy) get sorted into Hufflepuff. Then Maddie Hooper, who looks very full of herself, and is sorted into Ravenclaw. Then…

"Kinsley, Hannah" Hannah just stands there looking stunned for a second, and I give her a little push. She stumbles forward, and puts the hat on her head delicately. If falls down past her chin, so only the tips of her curly red hair is visible. The hat takes more than a minute to decide before finally yelling "GRYFFINDOR!" I clap, along with the Gryffindor table, and Josie and Eva. Then,

"Lewis, Eva" is called. Eva looks as though she was hoping on at least one person between her and Hannah, and looks a bit shocked. She takes a tentative step forward, then another, then takes a deep breath and walks over to the stool. She sits down, and the hat falls past her nose when she puts is on. The hat also takes a long time deciding where to put Eva, nearly two minutes, before finally yelling "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Malfoy, Scorpius" is called, and the pale, haughty boy from Madam Malkins saunters forward, and puts the hat on his head, it barely has a chance to touch his head before it yells "SLYTHERIN!"

"Martin, Sabrina" a girl who looks just as haughty and smug as Malfoy grins smugly at Maddie Hooper at the Ravenclaw table, and places the hat neatly on her head. "RAVENCLAW!" it yells. Looks like none of the Ravenclaws are going to be very nice either.

Trev Pelley, a very intimidating boy, who was in with Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express, and is sorted into Slytherin nearly as quickly as Malfoy. Next Jason Pender, a very small boy, with very large ears is sorted into Hufflepuff. Then a very small girl, who nonetheless manages to look smug and intimidating (Pritchard, Heida) is sorted into Slytherin. Then,

"Potter, Albus" Albus`s name is met with whispers "Potter?" "As in, Harry Potter?" "His son?" Albus seems immune to it, and walks up to the hat as calm as can be, and puts it on, after a second or two… "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yells. The Gryffindor table breaks into applause, louder than it has been for anyone else. Well, he is a Potter.

"Potter, Fiona" great. There`s another Fiona. There was a Fiona in our grade until third grade, and its dreadfully annoying to have someone with the same name as you. , did she say? Fiona Potter?

**Dun-dun-dun. this is where, like, the more exiting plot is going to start. I know its kind of annoying to see ****_every_**** in there year sorted, but it helps me keep them all straight. I apologize for my absolutely horrible sorting hat song. if you have a better one, please pm me, and I will change it, and give you credit. also, you see a few kids of people you know at Hogwarts. how do you like them? any suggestions? **


	13. It Wasnt a Car Crash

** Hannah **

I got into Gryffindor! I am nearly jumping up and down with excitement as I sit next to Eva at the Gryffindor table, with Albus, who has just been sorted, across from us. I just hope Fiona and Josie get in too. It would be horrible for them to be in a different house.

"Potter, Fiona" is called

Funny. I didn`t know there was another Potter. Albus must have a cousin he forgot to mention. But that doesn`t work, because Harry Potter was an only child. A twin sister he forgot to mention? Seems unlikely. And, from what I`ve read about Harry Potter he only had three kids. James, Albus, Lily. No Fiona. Not even as a middle name. And Fiona couldn`t be a nickname for Lily. Plus, I think Lily`s younger. Maybe Leslie`s age. Maybe a year older. But not in our year. So who`s Fiona Potter?

I look up and down the line or first years still waiting to be sorted, to see who`s stepping forward and claiming the mysterious identity. But no one is. First years are looking up and down the line to, but nobodies stepping forward.

"Potter, Fiona" Professor Flitwick call again. No response. "Fiona Potter!" he says, slightly desperately, looking up and down the line. He looks at Professor McGonagall, the headmistress. She looks worried, and looks at Hagrid. He nods, and heads out of the Great Hall through a side door. The Great Hall is filled with muttering. Professor McGonagall taps her spoon on the edge of her glass, bringing everyone back to attention.

"Quigg, Zed" is called in a slightly shaky voice. Professor Flitwick looks nervous that another pupil might be missing. But a tall, burly boy steps forward, and is sorted into Slytherin. Then Grant Reier and Harry Sanders are sorted into Hufflepuff. Leo Slater and Harry Sutton go to Ravenclaw. Harry has become a popular name, ever since the second wizarding war. Mary Smith and Cal Summers go to Slytherin. At this point Professor Flitwick has regained some confidence in his voice.

"Taylor, Esther" A girl with incredibly frizzy black hair and large glasses is sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Taylor, Penelope" Twins. And identical. Though Penelope has done something to her hair to make it lie down, and is either wearing contacts, or doesn`t need glasses.

"Tracy, Travis" goes to Slytherin. Then,

"Weasley, Dominique" Dom goes to Gryffindor nearly as fast as Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin. Dom walks confidently over to the Gryffindor table, and sits down next to Albus.

"Wealsey, Rose" Rose had been looking confident, but since the whole Fiona Potter incident she has been looking less so. She slowly walks forward and tries on the hat, and almost immediately "GRYFFINDOR!" so she didn`t need to be worried. She comes and sits down next to me and Eva, and we smile at each other.

"Weaver, Josephine" is called. Oh I hope she`s in Gryffindor. I hope she`s in Gryffindor. I close my eyes. I can`t bear to watch. "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat calls, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Josie nearly skips down to the Gryffindor table and sits down across from Eva. Then Elizabeth Wilson and Ella and Tristan Whitby all go to Ravenclaw, one after the other.

Wait. Whitby, Wilson? Shouldn`t West come before them? Shouldn`t Fiona have already been sorted? Uh oh. I look up at Fiona, who looks confused too. I shrug. She shrugs. Macey Zambini gets sorted into Slytherin. Now, I definitely know West comes before Zambini. Now it`s just Fiona standing up there. Uh oh. I definitely now something bad is going on now. Why hasn`t Fiona been sorted yet?

Professor Flitwick rolls up the long piece of parchment, and begins to pick up the stool with the hat on it and carry it out of the hall when he notices Fiona standing there. She looks close to tears.

"Who are you?" he asks.

"Fiona West" she says.

"Your nor Fiona Potter, are you?" he asks

"No" she says, sniffling. "Fiona West!" He sets down the stool and the hat, and unrolls his list, and reads it over.

"Well, you're not on my list, you better go and speak with Professor McGonagall" Professor McGonagall stands up and leads Fiona out of the hall through the side door. Professor Flitwick carries the stool and sorting hat out of the hall, and one of the other professors stands up.

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**Fiona**

"Well, Miss West" I am sitting in Professor McGonagall's office, having just been led, crying, out of the hall. Because I they didn`t call my name. Maybe I got a fake letter. Or maybe I hit my head, and my last name isn`t West. Maybe i`m the girl who never showed up. "Do you have any idea what just happened?"

"No"I sniffle "I" _sniffle "_I. got a letter!"_ louder sniffle_ "I saw it!"

"And it said Fiona West?"

"Well," _sniffle _"Gran had accidentally" _sniffle "_smeared some lip stick on it, by" _sniffle _"where the name was. But it looked like Fiona West!" _sob. _

"Well, as you got onto the platform, and into Hogwarts, it does appear you are a witch. Just wait here while I contact your Grandmother and try to get this all sorted out." She waves her wand, and the stiff wooden chair I'm sitting in is replaced by a chintz armchair. "That should be more comfortable". I lean back and close my eyes.

How did I get myself into this mess? I mean, I couldn`t really read the letter, but I trusted Gran! How did she even come to smear lipstick on it, anyways? Could she have done it on purpose? No. that's a horrid thought. There must just be some sort of mix up. But if she did…Why? Is there some secret she`s hiding? But what? I mean, she didn't even know about Hogwarts until I got my letter. Did she? But how would she? Maybe she`s a witch! But why wouldn`t she have told me?

I sigh and open my eyes and get my first good look around the office around me. When I first got here I was too distressed to take in my surroundings, but now I'm calmed down a bit. At least she said I was a witch. The room is full or curios little instruments. Some are emitting puffs of smoke every few seconds. Some are spinning, like tops. Some are making whistling noises every few seconds.

I sigh again, I have no idea how any of them work, and none of them look incredibly interesting right now. After what I say to be an hour and a half, her office has many things, but noticeably lacks a clock, Professor McGonagall returns, followed by Gran.

"Now, Louise" she says, addressing Gran "I want to tell Fiona what you told me" Gran looks thoroughly ashamed of herself, even though she`s probably older then Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall is quite good at making people look ashamed of themselves.

"Fiona. Fiona. Let me just say I`m sorry." Gran is looking at her knees, as if she can`t bear to meet my eyes "Fiona. When I went to Hogwarts, yes I was a witch, I know you probably hate me for not telling you, I met a young man. His name was Charlie Potter. He was the younger brother of Harry Potter`s Grandfather. He was funny, smart, everything I could wish for. After Hogwarts, we were married, and just a few months later, I found out I was pregnant. With your grandfather. Your grandfather was born. He the best thing that ever happened to me. He was the sweetest child I could hope for. But after Hogwarts, he ran away with a girl named Violet. This was at about the time when Voldemort was first at large. They were young, they were fighters. Faced Voldemort himself a few times. Five years later he came back with a three year old son, and said that Violet was dead. Then he left, leaving his son with Charlie and me. He was too heartbroken to do anything much else. He himself was killed a few weeks later, in battle. Charlie died a few years later, I raised your father on my own. When he was in his sixth year he ran away to join the death eaters, who were once again gaining strength. A few weeks later I found you on my doorstep. You were just a baby. With a letter from Henry, your father, saying he was to be killed for betrayal, he was a spy. It broke my heart when he joined the dark side, but he was just a spy! And the note said he was to be killed, and would I please take care of his daughter. It broke my heart to lose another child. I could never bear to tell you who you where, to raise another wizard child, just to have them run away and die, so I raised you muggle, with my maiden name, West"

"So my parents didn't dye in a car accident?" I asked. This was the only thing I could think to say. I wanted to be mad at Gran, but I couldn`t bring myself to be. She had been through so much.

"No. no. they were murdered"

"Who was my mother?"

"Her name was Sophie. She was killed with your father. They had been found out a week after you were born. But they kept you a secret, Voldemort never even new you existed"

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**Hannah**

"Well, as our headmistress isn`t here, eat up" The golden platters down the middle of the table are suddenly full of the most amazing looking foods. But none of us really eat much, just nibble on things, because we are all too worried about Fiona. When the desserts appear, Eva and I just each have a small portion of peppermint ice cream, but Josie dishes herself up a whole plate of treacle tart. Josie _loves _treacle tart. And, it appears, Albus does too.

"So," says Rose, while Albus appears to be too busy with his treacle tart "do you guys know anything about what happened to Fiona?"

"No." says Eva.

"We`ve been best friends for, like, ever. And Josie said we were all witches" I add, and look at Josie, who nods "And we all got letters. Well, I suppose I never saw Fiona`s, but it looked like ours, and she looked, and her grandmother looked"

"Could it have been a name mix up?" asks Albus, who has just finished his treacle tart "cause there was the Fiona Potter person who wasn`t here, and I know that I don`t have a sister named Fiona, unless we were, like, separated at birth or something. I suppose I could owl dad and see if he knows anything about it."

"I`ve been friends with Fiona since I was 5, I think I know her last names West" says Josie "And, if they made a name mistake, you would think they would notice if they accidentally made her a Potter, cause Potter is a pretty famous name"

"Yeah" says Albus "good point. You guys are like the first people I have met, who aren`t muggles, who were freaking out over Rose`s mum instead of my dad. Normally they spend a good forty minutes on my dad, then a good thirty on Rosie`s-"

"ALBUS POTTER!" she yells so loud that some of the people at the Hufflepuff table turn around and stare. A girl with long dirty blond hair, brown eyes, and a smile on her face, sits down next to Rose.

"I thought I heard Rosie`s distinctive voice coming from this end of the table" she says

"Ally!" she says, but smiling a little, then turns to us "guys, this is Ally-Alice- Longbottom, close family friend, who has the great misfortune of being in the same year, in the same house as the sons of both Luna Scamander and George Weasley"

"Well I`m grand now Rose and Dom are finally here" Ally says "You see, the only other Weasley/Potter/ and friends –WPF, you see we have a little secret organization" Rose shakes her head at this "- girl at Hogwarts was Augy, my _sister_, so she completely ignored me, and then there was Vic, who spends all her time thinking about, writing to, or snogging Teddy Lupin. Well, and then a guess there was Molly. But she`s a pain, acts like she`s already Minister of Magic" Ally said this all in one breath, without pausing once, and the whole time making hand gestures as if she was giving a speech.

"I`m Hannah" I say when she`s done "M-"

"Oh, Hannah's my mums name!" she says, interrupting me "She was here the same time as Harry Potter, same year in fact, she`s just not as famous"

"Ok" I say. She talks a _lot. _"I`m muggleborn-"

"Oh, her mum was muggleborn" Ally says, gesturing at Rose "Smartest in there year, same year as my mum, and Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley, who`s Rose`s dad. What was I saying? Oh yes, smartest in there year, so maybe you`ll be the smartest in your year too. Though I guess not every muggle born can be the smartest in there year. I mean, Rose`s mum didn't get as many owls as Molly`s dad, though Rose`s mum is tons more fun to be around then Uncle Percy, Molly`s dad, did you know Molly is also my grandmothers name! and so maybe, like I was saying you don't want to get so many owls, and not be the smartest in your year, but everyone says Rose`s mum is the smartest in her year. Oh, I don`t know what I'm saying anymore, I talk too much."

"Yep, she does" Eva whispers to me, and I nod.

"What where you saying?" asks Hannah "you were probably saying I talk too much. Don`t be ashamed of it, I really do. Though I don`t now wherever I get it from, I mean, mum and dad are both shy quite people, so it can`t be them, I suppose it could have been my grandmother, Alice. She has the same name as me! I asked dad before but he said he didn't want to talk about it. Or it could be great granny Augusta, she has the same name as my sister! I haven`t met her, well, I have but I don`t remember it, she died when I was three, but I suppose I could ask dad about he. He grew up with her, because his parents were very sick. Now I'm tired of talking. Someone else talk"

"I`m Eva" Eva says "I`m muggleborn, so is Hannah. We didn't know we were witches until Josie told us and our friend Fiona. Then we got our Hogwarts letters. And know here we are!" Ally starts on some long spiel about Fiona, and Potters, but it is interrupted by Professor McGonagall, who has returned to the hall, who is tapping her spoon on her glass, trying to get everyone`s attention. When most everyone is looking at her, and quite, Ally is still going on about something or other, she starts to speak.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" she says "To our returning students, welcome back. To our new students, welcome. Here we have another year full of magical education awaiting us. Before you go and get rested for your lessons tomorrow, I have a few reminders. New students should know that the forest around the edge of the grounds is out of bounds, magic is prohibited in the corridors, as are, as Mr. Filch tells me, 716 other things, which can be viewed on the extensive, and updated, list now pinned to his office door"

Dom points Filch out to us, as Professor McGonagall goes on about other prohibited things. He`s a grizzly man, who looks to be about a hundred, with grey hair, and beady eyes, and is holding a cat, who looks just as old and mean, and beady eyed as him.

"That's Filch, and his cat, Mrs. Norris. You don't want to cross them" Ally goes into some story about some time she got in trouble with Filch, but I go back to focusing on professor McGonagall.

"Now, as I'm sure you want to be well rested for your lessons tomorrow, follow your prefects to your house dormitories" There is a deafening clattering as benches are pushed back, and hundreds of pairs of feet push towards the door.

Josie, Eva, and I however push against the crowd, towards the teachers table, ignoring the yells of "Gryffindor first years this way!" now we`ve cleared most of the crowd, all that's left in the hall are stragglers. We hurry towards Professor McGonagall. We're going to ask her what happened to Fiona, but once we get up to her she looks so intimidating that we just stand there, hoping someone else will talk.

"Yes?" she finally asks

"Well, you see…we were just wondering..." Eva starts

"What happened to our friend" I say

"Fiona" adds Josie

"Fiona _West_" I revise. We all look at professor McGonagall expectantly.

"Miss West has some family issues to resolve, but she will be back in time for lessons tomorrow" Is all she says.

"Please, Professor, she`s our best friend, can you just tell us what happened" appeals Josie.

"I`m afraid I cannot Miss Weaver, and it would be best not to meddle" And with that she walks quickly out of the hall.

"Wow" says Eva

"Yeah" says Josie

"She`s not someone to cross" I surmise all our thoughts. We walk out of the hall, only to realize we haven`t the faintest idea where to go next. We go back into the hall, but all the teacher have left. All that's left are the floating candles. It's kind of scary.

"Uh oh" says Eva "Josie, do you know where we go?"

"Well" Josie says "Charlie said that you get to the Gryffindor common room through a portrait concealed behind a portrait of a fat lady, but he didn't say _where _the portrait was"

"And, that would be the crucial information" I say "It doesn`t say how to get into any of the common rooms in any of the books I've read, I suppose because then students from other houses would read it, and be able to sneak into other peoples common rooms"

"Well, then let's start searching for that fat lady" says Eva. We discover that Hogwarts is a very easy place to get lost in. there are hundreds of staircases, some of which turn into slides when you step on them, some with a trick step that one of us will step on, and the others will have to pull her out. Around 10:30, we are exhausted. Having just pulled Eva out of yet another trick staircase, we are sitting on the bottom step taking a break. We have covered, it seems, the first three floors of the castle, though it could be through a door that's pretending to be a wall (we found one, and suspect that there are more).Once we saw a ghost gliding along, But I didn't want to get in trouble, so is topped Eva from asking him for help. I hear the faintest whisper, and I whip around.

"Did you guys hear that?" I whisper to Eva and Josie.

"Yeah" Josie whispers back. We all stand up, and apprehensively turn around. I pull out my wand. Even though I don't know any magic, it feels good to have it. Josie pulls out hers as well. Eva packed hers in her trunk, which is waiting in our dormitory, wherever it is. Just then Albus, Rose, Dom, Ally, and a boy I distantly recognize from platform 9 ¾ as being Albus`s brother, James, appear seemingly out of thin air.

"Am I having a hallucination?" asks Eva. She pinches herself. "Ok, not dreaming. Rose? Is that really you?"

"Yep" Rose replies. You guys never showed up. So we, came looking for you"

"But you where invisible" Josie says

"Yeah," says Rose, smiling appreciatively, and holding up a shimmering cloak "thanks to this"

"It's an Invisibility cloak. Which is really not meant for five people" he glares at Ally. fills in the boy I believe to be James Potter "And I`m James, Al`s older brother" Hunch confirmed.

"I`m Eva"

"I`m Hannah"

"I`m Josie"

"What where you guys doing?" asks Rose

"Well, you know our friend Fiona-"

"Fiona Potter!" says Ally, joining the conversation "or Fiona West? Or are they the same person? Maybe Fiona hit her head and forgot her last name! But why would she think of Potter! Or maybe Albus has a twin, and they were separated at birth!"

"Now that I think about it," says Rose "Al and Fiona do look a lot alike"

"Fiona did not hit her head" says Josie

"And do not have a twin who I was separated from at birth" says Albus

"Ok, ok," I say "but how did you guys find us?"

"Mysterious and unknown ways" says James with a wicked grin. Rose rolls her eyes, and mouths "later" to us behind his back.

"Ok, however you found us, we need to get back to bed before we get caught"

"Good point" says Rose "there isn't room for us all under the invisibility cloak, _because James had some problem with just letting me and Dom borrow it, and then everybody had to _come, but we`ll just go quickly and quietly. For someone who just got here today, Rose seems very well acquainted with the castles secret passages, doors pretending not be doors, portraits hiding secret passages, and numerous other secrets. I suspect this has something to do with the mysterious and unknown ways, whatever those where. Finally, we come to a portrait of a rather fat lady wearing a pink dress.

"Password?" she asks

"Draconis Ignis" says Rose confidently. The portrait of the fat lady swings forward, to reveal a circular hole in the wall, Rose clambers through, and we follow. We find ourselves in a room with a crackling fire, full of slightly overstuffed, but comfy looking armchairs and sofa`s.

"Were up the stairs on the left" says Rose pointing "boys are on the right" we follow Rose up the stairs, until we get to the third dormitory up, with a plaque on the door that reads "first years". The room has six four poster beds, each with matching crimson bedspreads and hangings. I didn't realize how tired I was until now, but once I get to the bed with by trunk at the foot, all I have the energy to do id pull on the first nightgown I can find, and collapse into bed. I`m asleep before my head touches the pillow.

**Surprise! Another chapter!** **but this one hasn`t really exactly been edited, so bear with me here. I`ve pretty much given up on having an updating schedule. and what do you think of the plot twist! And How do you like Ally? she`s really fun to write, but I`m afraid she might be a bit to annoying. **


	14. Classes, Parties, and Slow Dancing

**Josie**

When we wake up the next morning, Rose is already up and parading around yelling "Get up sleepy heads!" and whacking Fiona with a rolled up copy of the Quibbler. Dad said when he was a kid it was a rubbish magazine, but loads better now. Wait. Fiona. I look over and see Fiona still sleeping.

"Fiona!" I yell. Sitting up in bed. At my cry Hannah and Eva sit up too.

"Fiona!" Hannah cries "What happened!"

"She can tell you over breakfast!" says Rose, who is now attempting to brush her incredibly curly red hair. "We only have 25 minutes for you lot to get dressed, and us all to go have breakfast, get our course schedules, try to figure out where our classes are, and get to our first class!" Rose seems a bit stressed about being on time. So, we hurry. Well, Dom doesn't she sleeps until Rose threatens to tell the whole family that she was late to lessons on the first day. We hurriedly pull on our Hogwarts robes, and brush our hair. We waste ten minutes trying to find the Great Hall, but get there eventually.

"Oh, we`ve missed the post" Rose says, sounding disappointed. She gestures at the owls scattered around the hall, having already delivered there mail, pecking at their owners toast or flying back up to the owlery. None of us are really interested in the post at the moment, though Charlie did say it was pretty awesome.

"Fiona!" Hannah exclaims.

"What Happened?" I ask.

"Well," says Fiona "Professor McGonagall took me up to her office, and told me I was a witch, but she had to go talk to Gran, just to get sorted out the whole Potter/West business. So she was gone for a while, but then came back, with Gran, and Gran explained that I actually was Fiona Potter, because my great grandfather was Harry Potter`s grandfathers younger brother. Then, she left and came back with the sorting hat, and it sorted me into Gryffindor!"

"I`ll have to ask dad about that" says Albus, who has just plopped down next to Rose, taken a piece of bacon off the plate, and been swatted with her Quibbler.

"Yeah, cause I though growing up they said he didn't have any relatives" says James, who has just sat down next to Albus, reached across him to get a piece of bacon from Rose`s plate, and been swatted with the Quibbler.

"Yeah," says Charlie, who sits down next to James, but doesn't try to steal any bacon "that's why he had to live with the muggles"

"Well, I don't really know about that. Maybe they were like, in hiding because of the wizarding war?"

"yeah, could be" says Dom, who is buttering her toast.

"First year schedules!" Sings out Ally, plopping herself between Rose and Albus, and stealing some of Rose`s bacon.

"Alice!" she exclaims. Ally doesn't pay attention, and hands Hannah, Eva, Fiona, Rose, Dom, and Albus and I schedules.

"And…..Second year schedules" She puts one down in front of her.

"And third year schedules" She hands James and Charlie there schedules.

Hogwarts Schedule – First Year Gryffindor

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Charms

Potions

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Transfiguration

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Break

Break

Break

Break

Break

Transfiguration

Herbology

Flying and Quidditch no class week one

History of Magic

Charms

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

History of Magic

Transfiguration

Charms

Potions

History of Magic

Transfiguration

Charms

Potions

Astronomy

"Eww." Dom says "History of Magic. Most boring subject ever"

"Look! Flying!" I exclaim. I can`t wait to play Quidditch, and I know first years never make the house team, but I can hope. Harry Potter did. But that's Harry Potter.

"Whatever we have, we better go" Hannah says, looking at her watch.

"Charms" says Eva, looking at her schedule.

"Anyone have any idea where that is?" asks Fiona.

"Well, we might have passed it last night. Yeah. I think I do remember where it is" Turns out Eva did not remember where it was. We got lost. Finally, we found a ghost, who directed us the right way. We were ten minutes late to class. Professor Flitwick didn't really mind, but Hannah just about had a fit.

"Ok class," he says in his squeaky little voice "next lesson we will be trying some actually spells, but first, you must learn the theory!" we spend the rest of the class copying down notes on the magic used to make objects fly. Professor Flitwick seems nice, and when he assigns us homework, to read the first chapter of our course book, and summarize it briefly, he says to just do your best.

Transfiguration is a different story. Professor Macey is, well, strict. She starts off by telling us that if our wands come out when there not supposed to, then we might as well say goodbye to Transfiguration, and to just be quite and take notes, and the longer this takes, the longer it will take for us to start using wands.

"Wow." Says Hannah after class

"She was even worse than McGonagall" I say

"How will we survive?!" Eva wails, we all laugh, but then become serious again.

"Well, that's only one class. Let's hope it gets better" but it did not. In history of magic at least. Well, I was fine, I just took a nap, which was quite refreshing, but then it wasn't so fine once Hannah wouldn't lend me her notes to do the homework. Or tell me what the homework was for that matter. But right now we were thinking of other things then homework. Because operation surprise party was currently underway.

"EVA!" I whisper yell across the dormitory. Hannah is in the bathroom, so we are taking the opportunity to smuggle things out of the room to Fiona, who is operating the setup on the grounds, or as far as Hannah knows, in the library. "Give me the present, and I'll take it down, then take Hannah to the library, and I'll come back and get the rest of the stuff, and then I'll come into the library, and get her to come outside" Eva gives me a thumbs up, hands me the present, and I run out of the dormitory, and down the stairs to the common room, which is deserted. James and Charlie have been yelling about the party all day. Really, I think yelling is the only volume James knows, so naturally the whole house is there. He didn't really sell it as a birthday party, but there still there. Outside the common room I hand the present off to Dom, who volunteered to be a runner, and she runs off to the grounds, were I can already hear the party. Like I said, James sold it more as a start of school party then a birthday party. But we can do our birthday thing, they can do there partying thing.

I lurk behind a suit of armor, really an invisibility cloak would be helpful in situations like this, but James didn't think to offer his, waiting for Hannah and Eva to walk by. Finally, after what seems like forever they do. I run up to the dormitory, grab the last bin of decorations, and head of towards the grounds. On the grounds, the party is in full swing, loud music, and tons of people. I spot Rose, and head over to her.

"Are they even aware that this is a birthday party?" I ask. Well, yell, but it's so loud it sounds as if I'm just faintly whispering.

"Nope!" she yells back "please feel free to slap my cousin at any point!" As if she summoned him James dances over to us right as she says to slap him.

"Enjoying the party, ladies?" he asks

"James!" Rose says accusingly "This was supposed to be a small birthday party! Not a whole house, and by the looks of it the rest of the school, start of term party!"

"Well," says James "I was looking for an excuse to have a party, and Jos here have one to me" I glare at him.

"Please call me Josie" I say, not smiling. He grins.

"Bye bye ladies, Josie, Rosie"

"JAMES POTTER!" Rose yells after him. But he`s already dancing away towards some fifth year girls.

"He`s a git" Rose says "He`s only fourth year, and he acts like he`s 25"

"Yeah" I say. Albus is much nicer "Well, either way I have to go get Hannah. I don't think it's possible at this point, but can you try to get them to hide, this was supposed to be a surprise party"

"Sure" Rose says, smiling at me. I head back towards the castle, the noise fading as I near the oak front doors. But I can still hear it in the entrance hall. Hannah probably hardly knows there`s a party. As I reach the library door, I peek in and see Hannah and Eva at one of the long tables. I try to make mself appear breathless. I open the library doors, and quickly stride inside. Its only taken a day to realize, but Madam Alpon, the librarian is not someone you want to cross. There`s a fair amount of teachers like that at Hogwarts, but there all ok if you're on their good side. I quickly walk up to Hannah and Eva, who look up when they see me coming.

"Fiona. Fiona…she...She sprained her ankle!" I invent wildly "on the grounds, come quick!"

"Oh my god! That's Horrible!" Hannah exclaims, and her and Eva get up, and quickly head off towards the grounds, me on their heels, after winking at Eva.

As we near the grounds, I expect to hear to sounds of the party, and by the time we get to the entrance hall I expect it to sound like were at the party, but to my surprise it does not. Even when we open the front doors, it's completely silent. And there isn't a person in sight. Obviously you can still see the decorations, but me and Eva manage to distract Hannah for long enough that by the time she notices that we are obviously hiding something from her, were at the center of what used to be a dance floor (don't ask me what happened to it, I haven't got a clue) and shes slowly turning around, taking in the party decorations, food, and other signs of life, when..

"SURPRISE!" probably fifty people jump out of the bushes. Probably everyone fourth year and under in Gryffidor (all of wich view James Potter as there king. Its going to be horrible when hes in seventh year, and has the whole school under his tyranny!) and a good portion from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

"What?" Hannah askes

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they yell. Hannah looks at us, shock on her face, and gives us a hug. I excuse myself and go find Rose.

"What did you do?" I ask

"Well, I can be persuasive when I want to be" she says, smiling "And..well..i er…"

"What did you do Rose?" I ask. Uh oh. Its going to be something bad.

"Well, as a cost for James ruining his party for five minutes, and well..there's going to be slow dancing later.." Uh oh.

"Who did he want to dance with?" I ask, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Well..not him…Al.." Uh oh. If it was James, I would think some girl older then him..but who knows who Al wants to dance with. Hannah? Rose? (Well, there cousins, so no) Eva? Fiona? Me? It couldn't be me. Why would he dance with me? He`s known me for a day, and I'm about half as pretty as any girl in the school.

"Who did he want to dance with?" I ask. Now I really don't want to know the answer. Rose justs shifts from foot to foot. "Who did he want to dance with, Rose?"

"…..You?" Rose raises up the end of the word like a question. Great. Just bloody great. I mean, he`s certainly not ugly but I've only known him for a day. And why does he want to dance with me?

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Eva

By this point, a dance floor has appeared (no idea where that came from) surrounded by little tables and larger ones bearing food. Fiona, Hannah, Josie and I are sitting at a little table off to the side.

"You guys did this all for me?" Hannah asks, her eyes shining

"Yeah" Says Fiona. I look around. The party is a whole lot bigger than I expected, and it looks like a lot more than the invited guests (us, Charlie, Rose, Al, Dom and maybe a few of their cousins and friends).

"So, you didn't sprain your ankle?" She asks Fiona.

"What? No" Fiona says looking from me to Eva.

"That's how we got her onto the grounds" I explain. Josie just nods. She's been oddly quite all evening.

"Yeah, somehow James invited all these people, and got them to yell surprise" I say. Josie says something under her indistinguishable under her breath.

"What?" Hannah asks

"Nothing" Josie says. Think there`s a little more than nothing behind those words, but Hannah is just happy it's her birthday, and doesn't notice anything. I decide I'll talk to Josie later.

We spend the evening eating the food, which is really good, and shaking of attempts from Dom and Rose to get us to dance, which really isn't Hannah`s thing, and it is her birthday. It really is quite an enjoyable evening, even if it wasn't what we imagined. At around 9:00, which is an hour past curfew, but James worked out some sort of deal with one of the Professors who`s friends with his dad. Really, James Potter could get away with anything at Hogwarts. Though he`s done more detentions then there are people at Hogwarts, so he doesn't escape those. Though I don't think he minds them all too much.

Well, either way at 9:00 Hannah is getting some desert with Rose and Dom, Fiona and I are planning how to best reveal our present, because this isn't really the right scene to do it, and Josie is nowhere to be seen. I think I heard her mutter something about Treacle Tart.

"This has been nice" I say

"Yeah, not the scene I imagined, but still nice" Fiona replies

"Hannah seemed to like it"

"And was pleased we didn't make her dance"

"Well, as she's not here now"

"Want to go dance?" five minutes later, were out on the dance floor, dancing to some jazzy song Rose tells is by the Weird Sisters when she comes and joins us, no idea who they are. Just then the song ends, and a slow song comes on. We exit the dance floor and head back to our table. Dancing to slow songs is not fun, and plus, who have to dance with someone, for a regular song, you can just dance. But, as were leaving the dance floor I see someone. Dancing with someone. Josie. Dancing with Albus.

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Josie

"Jos"

"Call me Josie"

"Josie"

"Albus"

"Josie"

"Albus"

That's all we say over the most awkward three minutes of my life. When I return to our table, after positively fleeing the dance floor, and getting myself a rather large (by which I mean gigantic) serving of ice cream. I plop down between Fiona and Eva. Who both look at me.

"I was hungry" I say, assuming they are wondering about the ice cream that could probably feed all four of us for a week.

"It's good" says Fiona. There both acting weird, like there hiding something. And it doesn't take long to find out.

"So," says Eva "Dancing with Albus?" Oh God.

"You saw that?" I ask.

"Yeah. I suppose he`s cute, and nice" says Eva "And I could see him with you" She could see him with me. This is bad. This requires extreme action.

"No. I hate him" Is what i say. Now I don't exactly hate him, but I don't like him. Well, like him like that. He`s a great mate, but I don't like like him. "It was bribery, that's how Rose got James to get everyone to hide. And I think we should call him Potter, because I hate him now" Yep. Extreme action.

"You hate him now?"

"Yes" At this point Hannah comes back, holding a dish of ice cream.

"Who do you hate?" She asks

"Potter" I grr.

"Albus?"

"Potter!"

"Potter?"

"Josie has decided that as she hates him, we should all call Albus 'Potter'"

"Potter!"

"Alright, alright, Potter it is"

"Good" I say, satisfied.

"Let's go give Hannah her present" Fiona says

"Fiona!" Eva and I exclaim "It was supposed to be a surprise!"

"Oh well, I don't think there`s anything else for us to do here"

"Fair Point, let's go" We walk back up towards the castle, the noise fading as we approach the main doors. When were about ¾ of the way there, Professor McGonagall marches past us towards the party, looking exceptionally mad. She doesn't notice us, and were relieved we had already left the party. It was after curfew though, so we snuck back through the castle, and by some stroke of good luck didn't get caught.

"I`ll go get the present" Eva says, once were back in the common room. She runs up the stairs, and returns a minute or two later, a large wrapped package in her arms. "Happy Birthday Hannah"

She hands Hannah the present, which Hannah carefully unwraps. Hannah is a horribly careful and slow unwrapper. Finally she`s done unwrapping, and reveals the hanging book case we got her.

"Thanks guys!" Hannah exclaims.

"Its to hang above your bed" Fiona exclaims.

"And it has some special features" I add.

"Go get some books, and try putting them on it!" says Eva. Hannah runs upstairs and returns with some books, which she puts on the bookshelf. Let me just add it's a fairly small hanging bookshelf. With one shelf. Hannah adds five books, but there`s not more for the other two she brought down.

"Watch" says Eva. She pushes the books to the side, as if to straighten them up to make room for another one, but the last book gets pushed completely through the side of the bookshelf, and disappears. We all smile at the amazed look on Hannah`s face. Eva pushes another book off and puts the last book on, and then scrolls through the books, because as soon as there`s room, the first one reappears on the other side.

"Wow!" Hannah exclaims "how many books can it fit?"

"We haven`t really tested it…but a lot"

"It's awesome! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome"

**I`m alive! I know, its been awhile, and I doubt anyone's still reading this story, but I`m posting again. If this chapter makes no sense, its because I`ve done MAJOR editing, and It would probably be good to go back a reread from the Hogwarts express chapter. but basically now Dom`s in there year. I have written a few chapters ahead now, so hopefully now I`ll be back to regular updating. **


	15. Albus - I mean, Potter

**Eva**

"POTTER!" Josie yell/whispers after I accidently drop the word Albus during a conversation at lunch the next day. The morning has been okay. Potions wasn't that fun, but we just looked at a bunch of potions that our teacher, Professor Slughorn (who is ancient by the way, like taught Josie`s grandparents ancient), made, so we didn't actually have to do any work. This doesn't disappoint anyone except Hannah and Rose. And worst of all we had to take it with the Slytherins, and there's these two girls, Lucia Astrid, and Macey Zambini, who are positively evil. Herbology was pretty fun actually, except for the fact that the greenhouses smell repulsive (Because Professor Longbottom`s (that's honestly his real name. oh, and he`s Ally`s dad) preferred brand of fertilizer is Dragon Dung. Which would seem awesome to me if it didn't smell so bad. And it did seem awesome to me. Until I smelled it).

"Sorry, sorry" I say.

"What was that?" Albus – Potter – Slides into a seat across from us, followed by Rose, Dom, and Ally. Really, he needs some guy friends. And friends who aren't his cousins.

"Josie decided she hates you" Hannah fills in.

"Hannah!" Josie exclaims.

"Why? I thought our dance last night was…magical" Albus says. We all shudder.

"That's why!" Josie says. Albus looks surprised, and then grabs her hands, and looks like he's about to say something romantic, but Josie pulls away looking mad.

"Good day, Potter!" she says, and stands up.

"Alright then, Weaver!" He stands up too. And they both walk out of the great hall, on opposite sides of the table. Once there out of the hall, Rose bursts out laughing, and then were all laughing. We're laughing so hard that when we finally come up for air, everyone is staring at us. I wave. And then I'm laughing again.

That afternoon, in transfiguration, we spend an hour and a half taking notes, and when we finally come out I'm so sore from sitting still, I just want to run around the lake. But I have to do my Transfiguration, Potions, and Charms homework. Thank you so much Professor Longbottom for not giving us homework. I finish my Charms, which isn't that hard, before dinner. The charms was technically last night's homework, so im glad I got it done early. That Evening, I finish up my Transfiguration and Potions homework, which are considerably harder. The only reason I get done is because I cheat off of - I mean get help from - Hannah. Josie, however, refuses to be in the common room because Albus (im aloud to call him Albus in my head, aren't I?) is there, and gets absolutely no work done.

The next day, we have defense against the dark arts, probably the most anticipated lesson, and one of the best so far. Though I still like charms. Professor Allen, is awesome. Instead of having us take notes, she just talks to us the whole lesson, about the importance of Defensive magic, and how mastering the spell work isn't the most important part, being able to use it in real situations is. Hannah looks a bit worried at this. Memorizing spells and books is how she gets A`s (or O`s, in the wizarding world).

At lunch, Josie scarfs down a quick sandwich, and then does her charms homework in the safety of our dormitory, safely out of the way of Albus. In charms, Yippee-Dee-Yay, Professor Flitwick decides to assign seats. About because luck is just on our side, Josie and Albus our sitting next to each other. Were just taking notes, but honestly they find a way to make even that go wrong.

"Professor?" Albus says halfway through the lesson "Weaver is left handed, so her elbow is rubbing on my parchment when I write"

"Well, Mr. Potter, why don't you and Miss Weaver switch seats" So they switch seats. Then ten minutes later:

"What is it Mr. Potter?" Albus has his hand up again.

"Weaver is humming"

"Miss Weaver, stop humming"

"I wasn't Humming!" Josie says

"Ok, well either way, Miss Weaver, Mr. Potter, be quite" all was well, until Albus, `accidentally` knocked over is inkwell, right onto Josie`s parchment. She stood up, as some of the ink had spilled into her lap.

"Miss Weaver, what is it?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"Potter spilled ink all over my notes and me!"

"Did no!" Albus yelled, standing up "I accidentally knocked it over!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!" and Josie picked up her inkwell, and dumped it over his head.

"Detention! Both of you! And too your head of houses office!" Professor Flitwick hastily wrote a note, handed it to Josie, who had slightly less ink on her, until Albus grabbed Josie`s inkwell, and dumped that over her head.

"POTTER!" She screeched.

"Double Detention!" Professor Flitwick yelled. He wrote another note, and gave to Albus. "Now to Professor Longbottoms office!" Josie and Albus both marched very haughtily from the room. Professor Flitwick attempted to keep teaching for 10 minutes, then decided it was hopeless, and let us go early.

"Well" I said as we exited the classroom

"How long will it be until they kill each other?" Fiona asks

"A month?"

"A year?"

"A day?"

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**Josie**

"Mr. Potter Miss Weaver, how can I help you?" Professor Longbottom is writing something, so he says this before he looks up and see`s us, covered in ink, each holding an inkwell in one hand and a letter in the other. We hand him the letters. He reads the one I give him. Then the one Al – I mean Potter gives him.

"Well. This appears to be true, is there anything you have to say for yourself?"

"Potter started it!" I say

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"QUIET!" Professor Longbottom stands up. "You both have a double detention, which you will do Friday afternoon, and you will scrub the charms classroom, all the way down the hall to my office, cleaning up any ink you got on the floor. You will do this all without magic"

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**Eva**

Josie is up late that night, as she wastes all the time before astronomy complaining about detention with Albus, and after astronomy complaining she needs Hannah's (who has gone to bed early) help, so when I leave her in the common room at midnight, she`s only done with her Transfiguration and is starting her History of Magic.

The next morning, Josie is nearly sleeping over her breakfast. When I ask her how late she was up she says "past two" that means a maximum of six hours of sleep. Mum says you should get at least eight. I vow that tomorrow, I'll make sure Josie does her Homework. Before midnight.

The next day is by far our worst schedule, with Transfiguration, History of Magic, and double Potions. Eww. By the end of the day we are all, especially Josie, weighted down with Homework, and are up late completing it. Especially Josie, as she has to do all of the work due tomorrow that wasn't assigned today, that we have already done. Luckily, this time Hannah agrees to help her, so it gets done a bit quicker. On Friday, we just have to get through DADA and Charms, as there are no afternoon classes for first years.

"Well, nearly the end of the first week!" Rose says at breakfast. We have by now worked out a seating arrangement that keeps Josie and Albus far enough apart that they don't kill each other, but the rest of us can talk. On the side of the table closest to the Hufflepuff table sits Josie, Me, Dom, Casey, and Theo (other Gryffindor first years). And on the other side of the table sits Hannah, Fiona, Rose, Matthew (Matt) (Another first year) and Albus. The ten of us have really bonded as a class, that is, except Josie and Albus. But they're sitting in the far corners, they haven't killed each other over a meal yet.

"YAY!" Matt cheers. The boys are great, but they can be a bit obnoxious.

"You guys want to go down to Hagrids for tea this afternoon?" Rose asks

"Cant" Says Josie "I have to do my detention with . . . Potter" Josie grrs.

"JOSIE AND ALBUS SITTING IN A TREE!" Casey sings. Did I say a bit obnoxious?

"K-I-S-S-I" Matt starts to finish, but as if they had planned it all out before, Hannah jinxs Matt, and Rose gets Casey, exactly at the same time. They jinx them so their tongues are glued to the top of their mouths. It really is quite amusing. Josie and Albus still look like they're about to murder them. Just then the bell rings. The bell does seem to ring at very convenient times.

We manage, with the help of all of our knowledge, only to get lost once on the way to DADA, and are only five minutes late. Luckily, Professor Allen is a very understanding person. Unluckily, she decides to assign seats.

"Hannah and Theodore here, Eva and Rose here, Fiona and Casey, Dominique and Charles, and Josie and Albus" Luck really is not on our side when it comes to seating arrangements.

"Umm, Professor Allen, I`m not sure you want to do that" I say hesitantly

"What?" She asks

"Put Josie and Albus together," Rose says in a stronger voice "You see, there was a bit of a problem in Charms the other day"

"I see. Well, I shall check with your Charms Professor, but for now, Miss Weaver and Mr. Potter shall sit next to each other" This lesson will not end well.

"Now, today we will be covering a very basic spell: Expelliarmus. Does anyone know what this does?" Hannah and Rose both raise their hands, no surprise. And it is a slight surprise when Albus does too.

"Mr. Potter" Professor Allen says

"It gets rid of your opponent's wand" Albus says

"Correct in the essentials, would you like to add to that Miss Kinsley?"

"It disarms your opponent of his wand, which leaves them vulnerable and unprotected"

"Exactly. Now, let's practice the wand movement, follow me" She moves her wand straight down with a little swirl at the end. We copy her.

"You're waving your wand to much Mr. Al–" she starts to address Casey before noticing what the rest of us have already noticed. Josie has turned purple.

"Ms. Weaver, are you quite all right?" Professor Allen asks

"It was Potter!" Josie exclaims "He hexed me!"

"Did you hex Miss Weaver, Mr. Potter?" Albus mumbles yes.

"Ms. Weaver, have Ms. Weasley show you to the hospital wing, Mr. Potter, detention" Both Rose and Dom stand up. "Oh, we have two Ms. Weasley`s. Rose, show Ms. Weaver to the hospital wing" Rose and Josie leave, the rest of us continue practicing our wand movements, and Albus sorts out his detention with Professor Allen.

By the time we get to Charms, Josie has returned to her normal color (mostly, there`s still a little bit of a purple tint on her face, but no one mentions it to her). Both she and Albus look extremely unhappy. Luckily, given the events of last Charms class, Professor Flitwick has switched up the seats. Now I'm next to Josie, and Albus is next to Theo. We spend the lesson taking more notes. I suppose we can't start magic right away in every class.

"Ok, I know you guys have detention, but to the rest of you want to come down to Hagrids`?" Were at lunch now, after a successful (compared to the last one) charms lesson.

"Sure" says Hannah, and we nod

"Boys, you can't come, there won't be enough room. And Al, I know you were the one who was officially invited, but, well, we`ll explain" Albus grrs. The boys look disappointed. But it only takes a few minutes for them to start planning what sort of escapades they`ll be up to while were having tea.

**I started writing this story when I was 10. needless to say, it was pretty bad. I published the first chapter when I was twelve. This story, in its four years, has been abandoned, completely rewritten, I have written new characters into it when it was 25 pages long, and written other characters out of it when it was even longer. I was rereading my original, ten year old draft of the first chapter, and I _laughed. _When I went through and edited, is saved that draft, because it made me feel happy to see how much I have grown as a writer. I haven't been publishing this for a few months, but I have been writing. I was ashamed that I was still writing it, because I knew it was so bad. But then I went and read that chapter, and i remembered why I liked writing, and why I liked publishing it. Not so everyone could rave at how good at writing i was (because, i`m _not_). I write because that's my outlet. When I write, I can be whoever i want, wherever i want. I can escape my world for a few hours, and become one of my characters. So maybe i`ll abandon this story, and maybe i`ll hate, or look back and laugh. But my heart will always be in it, because it was the first story i actually planned out and wrote, and edited and published. And though its nothing like it origionally was (for example, there was a phase when Eva didn't exist, a phase when Fiona and Hannah were boys, and a phase when they were twenty years younger, none where witches, and all found out about the wizarding world when Fiona was murdered by Voldemorts nephew...), i still love it just as much. I`ve spent a lot of good times with Hannah, Josie, Eva and Fiona, wherever they end up. **


	16. Another Ron and Hermione

**Fiona**

"Hello, Hello" Hagrid says. We`re at his house for tea. He is apparently an old friend of Rose and Albus`s parents. "Rose. Dominique. And are these friends of yours?"

"Dom" says Dom

"Yeah" Rose says "Hannah, Fiona, Eva, and Josie`s in detention"

"Wait. Were missin Al, where's he?" We look at each other.

"Well, He got in detention. With Josie" Rose finally says

"And how`d he do that?" We look at each other again.

"Well….." Rose starts

"Errrr….."

"Well. He and my friend Josie were dancing, and then at some point Josie decided she hated him. And Now Josie thinks Albus is obnoxious and rude, and Albus thinks Josie is a goody two shoes, which she isn't, I don't really know how that happened. And then they were bickering during Charms class. And then Albus dumped a whole bottle of ink of Josie`s head. And then Josie dumped ink on Albus. So there in detention" I say. Hagrid seems like someone I can trust. Which is why it surprises me when he bursts out laughing.

"Umm. Did I say something funny?" I ask

"No. no. it's just… Well, Rose, your parents, actually, sound quite a lot like your two friends. Bickering every second up until there last year. Though they both say they loved each other since first year"

"Does that mean…Josie and Albus are in love?" Eva exclaims, appalled "Eww!"

"Well, you never know, you never know"

We spend the rest of our visit politely turning down rock cakes (I think I might have broken a tooth on the first one I tried) and laughing at funny stories about Rose and Albus`s parents antics at Hogwarts. Apparently once, they got caught trying to sneak a dragon (no idea where it came from, Hagrid didn't seem to want to say) out of the school, and lost 300 points altogether, and got detention. And then one time, Rose`s mum and dad wouldn't speak to each other for a few weeks because Rose`s dad was convinced that his rat was eaten by Rose`s mums cat. Actually, with all the stories we heard, there were a lot of times when Rose`s mum and dad weren`t speaking. At about six, when were eager to go back up to the castle for diner, and in the case of Rose of Hannah, do their homework. The rest of us will probably be doing that on Sunday.

"Well, I'll walk you guys up to the castle. Don't want you to get into any trouble"

"We could have stolen Al`s invisibility cloak, I suppose" Dom says

"Yeah" Josie says "But there really aren`t room for five people"

"Good point"

"You lot already sneakin' around at night?"

"Errrr….."

"Yer as bad as yer parents" Hagrid says shaking his head.

Diner is very good, especially compared to Hagrid`s rock cakes. And were all having a great time, until Josie and Al show up. They both are looking extremely disgruntled, and Josie is for some reason soaking wet.

"Hello, Josie. Hello, Albus" Hannah says

"Potter!" Josie growls

"Potter. Fine." Hannah says, recognizing that this is not a battle worth fighting. "Why do you look as though you took a bath, Josie?"

"Potter here thought it would be, amusing, to dump the bucket of water we were using to scrub the floor over my head"

"It was kinda funny…until I got another detention…." Albus trails off

"Three detentions!" James and Charlie have come up and sat down across from each other, James next to Albus and Charlie next to Theodore (Theo). "You're doing even better than me, little bro!" Albus shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"Josie," Charlie asks "Why do you look as if you've taken a bath?"

"Ask Potter!" Charlie looks at James

"The other Potter" Charlie looks at Albus.

"Hello" Albus says

"Hello" says Charlie "Do you happen to know why my little sister looks like she took a swim in the lake?"

"I got a detention already, I don't need to older brother speech!" Albus looks quite scared. It's really rather funny. Even Josie snorts. Charlie is still smiling pleasantly at Albus. "Fine! I dumped a bucket of water over her head!"

"James, in the future, tell your little brother to leave my little sister alone"

"Albus, you're not allowed to beat my detention record, so leave little Weaver alone"

"Little Weaver! Am I just Little Weaver now?" Josie exclaims.

"James! Albus! Pull it together!" Charlie exclaims

"Fine. Josie. Now, Al, you have to apologize too" James says grumpily.

"I`m ever so sorry for dumping that freezing bucket of water on your forehead, Weaver" Albus says sarcastically.

"Albus, no sarcasm, and her name is Josie" Charlie corrects.

"I`m sorry Weaver" Albus says

"Josie"

"I`m sorry." Albus sighs. "Josie"

"Thanks Potter" Josie says grudgingly

"Hey! If Al has to call her Josie, then she can`t call him Potter!" James complains

"I`m sorry," Josie sighs. "Albus" James applauds. Josie and Albus both grr at him. Then they grr at each other.

The next day, Saturday, we decide it's time we write letters home. Because I don't have an owl, (Which i`m not complaining about, Stella is awesome) I`m going to use Josie`s owl (Lailie) to send a letter to Gran. Eva, who also has a cat (Greta) is going to be using Hannah`s owl, Mely.

We go outside to write our letter. Were all sprawled out in the sun by the lake. Eva suggested going outside, saying we should take advantage of the nice weather while we still had it.

I don't really know what to say to Gran. I`m mad at her, for not telling me anything. But, i`m in a way, her third child. And all there rest are dead. I want to tell her I hate her. But I want to tell her I hate her. And I want to tell her I feel sorry for her. What I come up with is somewhere in between.

Dear Gran,

I`ve had a good first week at Hogwarts, after the whole Potter business. I still can't believe you didn't tell me. Can you tell me more about my parents? Do you have wizard photos of them? Is the picture in my room really them?

Hogwarts must be a bit different then when you went here. Our Transfiguration Professor is quite strict, though I really like our Defense against the Dark Arts professor. Josie had already managed to make an enemy, who is unfortunately the younger brother of her older brother's best friends. Also, he is by far not the most obnoxious boy in our class, which she claims he is.

Thank you though, for explaining my parents to me, and I would love to know more. I`ll see you at Christmas!

Love,

Fiona

I don't feel like I wrote enough, especially compared to Hannah, who wrote a novel to her mom and her dad, and is now by the looks of it writing a letter twice as long to Leslie. Though Leslie deserves a long letter. She was so excited about us all going to Hogwarts. But I didn't really know what to say to Gran. So I told her about Josie and Albus.

Josie and Albus really should not be enemies. They're actually really similar. Im still confused as to how the whole enemies thing started. They danced. And then Josie decided she hated him. And because Josie hated him, Albus decided to hate her. It confuses me. Though, I don't quite agree with Hagrid that they should be a couple or something. Friends would be good.

"Done!" Hannah exclaims

"How many pages is that?" Eva says. Hannah starts to count.

"14 on mums, 12 on dads, 19 on Leslie`s"

"How do you write a 19 page letter on the events of one week?"

"Well, a lot happened"

"You're just trying to make us look bad…"

"No! I just have a lot to say!"

"Hmmm"

"Whatever, I`m going to go send mine. Eva, I'll take yours too" Hannah takes Eva`s letter, and heads off towards the owlery. Josie stands up too.

"I`ll go too. Fiona?" I hand her my letter. I lie back down against the ground, enjoying the sun and breeze, and not worrying about homework (which I will, of course, be doing on Sunday). I`m surprised it's this warm, usually we have chilly falls and warm springs and summer`s. it hasn't been this warm since Josie`s birthday. Birthday.

"Hannah really liked her birthday present" I say

"Yeah"

"The party was a lot better than I thought it would be"

"And bigger"

"Yeah"

"I guess Albus has a really big family, and then they all brought their friends"

"Ahh...I can say Albus"

"Albus Albus Albus Albus."

"Albus Albus Albus Albus Albus" we both crack up.

"Why does she hate him so much?"

"I honestly don't know"

"Josie can be weird"

"Yeah"

"But there so much alike!"

"I know! Casey and Matt are the obnoxious ones, not Albus!"

"Albus Albus Albus"

"Albus Albus" We both crack up again.

"Though, honestly, there like the most obnoxious people on the face of the earth"

"Even worse the Maddie!"

"Oh, Maddie" (Madison) Maddie was in our elementary school class. She`s the kind of student that you think teachers are afraid of having in their class. And yes, we know that teachers have lives too, because both Hannah's parents are teachers. Though honestly, Maddie is the most obnoxious person I`ve met. Until I met Matt and Casey.

"Mad Madison" one of Maddie`s many nicknames.

"Yep. Now it's Crazy Casey…and…."

"Mad Matt!"

"Yeah!"

"In comparison, Albus is like, Calm Albus. No, that doesn't work…"

"Never Agitated Albus?"

"Yeah! Never Agitated Albus!"

"Albus Albus Albus"

"Albus Albus Albus"

"Albus Albus Albus"

"Hello, Eva, Fiona. Any particular reason your chanting my name?" Crap. Timing is just always on my side.

"Hello, Albus" Eva says, laughing.

"I thought I was `Potter'?"

"To Josie" I say, also laughing.

"Alright then. I`m just going to go" Albus walks away.

"I think he thinks were insane"

"Yep" We both for some reason find this hilariously funny, and are lying on the ground laughing when Josie and Hannah return from posting our letter.

"What happened?" Hannah asks

"Never" laugh "Agitated" Snort "Albus!" I laugh

"What?" asks Josie? Josie.

"Nothing" I say quickly.

"Hmmm" Josie responds.

"Well, time for lunch" Says Hannah, who heard what I said, and looks slightly confused. I don't know where the boys are, but they aren't at lunch, at least when we are. There probably planning some sort of prank. They played a highly amusing (if you aren't in Slytherin) prank on Friday, when we were at Hagrids, which involved all of the Slytherin Girls Hair to turn scarlet and gold, in stripes. I think James and maybe Charlie were involved, because I don't think Albus`s hexing ability is at that level yet. Otherwise Josie`s hair might be some strange color. We spend the rest of the weekend lounging around by the lake, until Sunday afternoon, when we realize how much homework we have.

"Hannah, can I please see you're Charms?" Josie begs. Were in the library doing homework, with Hannah helping us, because she of course, has already finished it.

"No. I will help you, but you cannot copy" Unfortunately, Hannah has a no copying policy.

"Please" Josie begs. We`ve been listening to this argument for the past fifteen minutes.

"No."

"Can you read mine over then?"

"Fine" Luckily Eva and I have already completed our Charms. I don't know why Josie hasn't. While Hannah corrects Josie`s essay, I plow on with my transfiguration. Really, I don't know how Hannah does it. She has sixteen whole inches, while I only have seven, and her handwriting is about half the size of mine. The requirement is 12, so at least I'm past halfway.

Eight is curfew, so we leave the library at quarter till, and resume our work in the common room. Eva and I go up to bed shortly before ten thirty, while Hannah stays in the Common room helping Josie with her homework.

At two in the morning I'm sleeping soundly, until someone grabs my shoulder and shakes me awake.

**This isn't my favorite chapter, and its kind of a filler chapter, but its something. I`m actually pretty ahead in my writing (I actually wrote this chapter, like, a month ago), I've just been forgetting to post chapters, but there should be a new chapter pretty soon (I might even post another one today, if your lucky) **


	17. Detention

**Josie**

"So, you left your essay in the library?" Eva asks. Were all sitting in the common room by the fire, which we can`t usually get, unless, like now, its two thirty in the morning.

"Yes. And I haven't finished it, and I have that class second tomorrow, so I need to go get it now" I say.

"And how do you intend to do that?" Fiona asks.

"No idea"

"I did have one idea…" Says Eva. We all look at her.

"What?" I ask

"Albus`s Invisibility cloak" She says

"Potter, and No"

"Why? I can't think of any other way, can you?"

"I suppose not….." But if we borrow Potter`s cloak, we`ll owe him. And I would really rather not be in his debt.

"Okay" Hannah says "Who wants to go upstairs and get it?"

"Not me"

"Not me"

"Not me"

"Well, I don't want to go!"

"Okay, okay, rock paper scissors tournament" Fiona says. We really are immature in some ways. Like the fact that we decide things by having a rock paper scissors tournament. Which I unfortunately win.

"I am not going into Potter`s dormitory" I say. Why would they even consider sending me into Potters dormitory, given…past events.

"You won"

"Grr!"

"You have to go"

"Grr!"

"Josie, it is your essay"

"Fine!" I slowly walk over to the boy's staircase. "Will it even let me up?"

"Yes" Hannah says "I read in Hogwarts, A History that the founders thought girls more trustworthy then boys, so we can get into their dormitories, but they can't get into ours"

"Thank you for that wonderful bit of Hogwarts History" Fiona says "Now Josie, go" I put one foot on the staircase. Then another. Then with a deep breath I walk quickly up the stairs. I get all the way up the stairs, but I can`t bring myself to knock. Should I knock?

If I knock, I will probably wake all the boys. Or I could go in and just wake Potter. I decide that is the thing to do. I put my hand on the knob. I turn it a little. I stop. What does it really matter if my essay is late? But i`m kind of scared to see what Professor Macey would say if I turned in an assignment late.

I decide against knocking, because I don't want to wake up all the boys, so I slowly ease open the door. I tip toe over to Potters bed, and covering his mouth with my hand, shake him awake. His yell is stifled by my hand, so he just looks rather freighted. Then very confused.

"We need your invisibility cloak" I whisper

"And why would I give it to you, Weaver?"

"Because, I need it!"

"Why do you even want it?"

"Long story, can you just get it?"

"Fine. Just a sec, I'll bring it downstairs to you, you can go" not needing another order, I positively flee the boys dormitory. Downstairs, Hannah, Eva, and Fiona are waiting, and look slightly disappointed when I don't have the invisibility cloak.

"Where is it?" Hannah asks

"He said he`d bring it downstairs"

"Why?" Eva asks

"No clue" five minutes later, Potter returns, fully dressed. Oh, god. He doesn't want to come, does he?

"I`m coming with you!" he announces

"No, you are not Potter, now go back to bed"

"It's my invisibility cloak though!"

"We`ll give you five galleons"

"You don't have five galleons"

"Do to!"

"Hmm"

"Hmmm yourself!"

"Guys! Guys!" Hannah intervenes "We can all go. It is Albus`s invisibility cloak"

"Potter" I correct

So, ten minutes later, were all squished under Potter`s invisibility cloak, heading towards the library. We hope.

"Weaver is stepping on my foot!" Potter complains

"No, he`s stepping on my foot!" I contradict. He is stepping on my foot though.

"Be quiet!" Hannah hisses "Just because were invisible doesn't mean we can`t be heard!"

"But Weaver is stepping on my foot!"

"Am not!"

"Just be quite!" We do shut up for a bit after that. We`re moving very slowly, as there really isn't room for five people under the invisibility cloak. We`re all ducking down a bit so our feet don't show, and moving very slowly. The castle is different at night. We haven't bene out at night since the first night, and then we were focusing on finding Fiona, or the Gryffindor Common room, not observing our surroundings.

All the people in the portraits are snoring. Once we walk past a sleeping ghost, and we all have a minor heart attack because at first it looked a lot like a teacher. It takes us a while to find the library, as we only have a vague idea were to go, and the castle looks very different at night.

"Ok, where did you leave your essay?" Eva asks once we get to the library.

"Over there, I think" I say, pointing in the general direction of the table we were working at. We pull off the invisibility cloak, now that were inside the library were probably fine, a walk over to the tables we were at.

"Here it is!" Fiona exclaims.

"Yes! Mission accomplished!" I exclaim. Potter starts doing a weird little dance.

"What? It's a victory dance" We all roll our eyes.

"Okay then." Says Hannah "Everyone back under the invisibility cloak." We all squish back under the invisibility cloak, and begin the slow walk back to our dormitory.

"Weaver is stepping on my foot!" Potter exclaims as we are passing the charms classroom.

"No! Potter is stepping on my foot!"

"Will both of you just be quiet!"

"What do we have here, my pretty?" we hear an oily voice say, and Filch turns the corner and starts walking towards us. "I could have sworn I heard some…students…out of bed"

"Sshhh" Hannah hisses.

"Be quiet!" I whisper to Hannah. Even an amateur should know that sshhing is just as loud as talking. Potter stamps on my foot.

"Ow!" I exclaim. Filch turns towards us. I am completely silent, but when he turns away, I stamp on Potter`s foot. Hard. Instead of making a noise, he jumps about a foot, pulling the invisibility cloak off all of us, Filch hears the rustling of fabric, and turns towards us.

"Run!" Eva yells. We take off, Filch huffing and puffing behind us. Unfortunately, none of us have the slightest idea where to go. I`m following Hannah, the others ran off in some other direction, we run down long corridor after long corridor, but they all look the same. When it seems we have made a complete circle, we nearly run into the others.

"I think…we lost…him" Eva pants.

"Yeah..." says Fiona.

"Not so fast" The door of the office were standing outside swings open, to reveal Professor Longbottom.

"Oh dear" says Hannah.

"Inside" says Professor Longbottom.

Were all seated around Professor Longbottom`s desk. He had to conjure up three more chairs, I guess he usually doesn't have this many wrong doers.

"Josie, Albus, welcome back" He says "Miss Kinsley, Miss Lewis, and Miss Potter welcome" He`s smiling. This can`t be good. "Now, i`m interested as to why you were out in the corridors at…2:30 in the morning"

"Professor, I'm also intrigued as to why you are awake at 2:30 in the morning" Potter asks. I stamp on his foot.

"Shut it, Potter" "I mutter. Professor Longbottom acts as if he didn't hear Potter`s question.

"Professor, Josie forgot my essay in the library, so we went to get it" Hannah says.

"And it couldn't wait until morning?"

"No" I say.

"Well, you were still out in the corridors after curfew, so I believe a fitting punishment would be 20 points from Gryffindor each, and detention."

"Professor!" Potter exclaims "You can`t do that! That's 100 points!"

"Congratulations Potter, you can do simple math" I mutter under my breath

"Shut up Weaver"

"Potter, unfortunately I can. I will inform you when your detention is, and I will now escort you back to your dormitories." We get the walk of shame back to our dormitories, Albus holding the invisibility cloak, which has remarkably not been confiscated, and Hannah muttering over and over again under her breath "I can`t believe I got detention". Once we get back to the dormitories, Potter turns on us.

"Weaver, this is all your fault!"

"My Fault!"

"You're the one who stepped on my foot!"

"Well you're the one who jumped! And you stepped on my foot first!"

"Well that was because you were being loud!"

"Okay guys, okay" Eva intervenes "let's just go to sleep, and figure it out in the morning."

"Grr" I grr.

"Grr" Potter grrs. We turn away from each other and march up the staircases to our dormitories. I don't know what his problem is. In the morning, unfortunately, things do not just blow over, as unfortunately some people noticed that Gryffindor house lost 100 points in one night.

"Okay, what happened?" We hear Charlie ask James at breakfast.

"For once it was not me, it was my little brother"

"Albus?"

"Yeah"

"Oh, my god!" We hear Ally exclaim "Gryffindor is totally going to lose, what I heard is that Albus Potter was out in the corridors in the middle of the night, and then I asked my dad about it, and then he said it was Albus and some girls, and then I asked Rose about it, and she said she wasn't there, and then I asked Dom about it, and she said she wasn't there, so it must be Hannah, and Josie and Eva and Fiona!" So that's how the whole house learned Potter and us lost Gryffindor 100 points. Because in addition to being a very fast talker, Ally is a very fast talker.

"Oh, and Rose owed Nana, so everyone will know by tomorrow "Ally added.

"What does she mean, everyone will know?" Hannah asked Dom, who had just come down to breakfast.

"Well, I come from a very large family, so to spread news there are two methods. Generally, you owl Nana Molly and she`ll schedule a family gathering, but if a kid at school did something bad, one of the good kids, AKA Rose or Molly, will owl Nana Molly, and she`ll owl their parents, and the parents will send a howler, and then all the kids will undoubtedly tell about it when they write letters home. This happens a lot more frequently then you`d think."

And indeed, the next day, a howler from Potter`s mum does arrive.

"ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER HOW DARE YOU GET YOURSELF THREE DETENTIONS, AND LOSE YOUR HOUSE 100 POINTS!"

"Hey! I only lost 20!" Potter exclaims.

"But the other 80 were your fault!" I yell. He yells some retort, but it's lost over his mum's voice.

"YOUR FATHER AND I ARE VERY DISSAPOINTED IN YOU, AND YOU`VE EVEN BEAT YOUR BROTHERS DETENTION RECORD! HE ONLY HAD TWO DETENTIONS FIRST TWO WEEKS…"

"No!" James exclaims.

"AND IF YOU EVER PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT IF LINE, YOU WILL BE COMING STRAIGHT HOME!"

The howler explodes into flames.

"Excellent, now the whole school will think it was just Potter!" I exclaim.

"Ha-ha" says Eva. We pick up our books, and head off to potions, leaving Albus looking very scared from his mum`s letter, and very mad at us.

**This Chapter is a remnant of one of my original plot ideas, which had to be written out because it didn't make any sense. So, this chapter has a few plot holes, and doesn't make a ton of sense, but it is important to later parts of the story, and I liked parts of it, so I kept it. Just know, if it doesn't make that sense, it would make even less sense in its original form. I also had to write out a lot of the Howler, which makes me sad. You will get to actually meet Ginny and the Golden Trio in a later chapter (Somewhere around chapter 21, I would hazard to guess) **


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